trompe l'oeil

[ French trawnp lœ-yuh; English trawmp ley, loi ]

noun

1. visual deception, especially in paintings, in which objects are rendered in extremely fine detail emphasizing the illusion of tactile and spatial qualities.
2. a painting, mural, or panel of wallpaper designed to create such an effect.

trompe l'oeil

/ trɔ̃p lœj /

noun

1. a painting or decoration giving a convincing illusion of reality
2. an effect of this kind

Word History and Origins

Origin of trompe l'oeil¹

1895–1900; < French: literally, (it) fools the eye

Word History and Origins

Origin of trompe l'oeil¹

from French, literally: deception of the eye

Example Sentences

Three years ago, he gave the pyramid a very different treatment, covering it in a giant trompe-l'oeil that made it seem like it had disappeared.

From BBC

"Materials are light, their volumes softening and stretching, colors bring freshness, and trompe-l'oeil creates seductive flesh-revealing juxtapositions," the French lifestyle brand said in a statement at the show.

From Reuters

A transistor meticulously painted in trompe-l'oeil becomes a portable radio when hung on the wall.

From The Guardian

Skylights show the real sky, but so do the ceilings, with their trompe-l'oeil cloudscapes.

From The Guardian

When seen from above, the trompe-l'oeil floor looked like a three-dimensional fantasy landscape by M. C. Escher that almost beckoned the viewer to enter.

From New York Times

Related Words

• film set
• mise en scène
• scenery
• set
• setting
• stage set