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

In the trompe l'oeil challenge, you had titled it "What's for Dinner," I think?

From Salon

Buddha: I really enjoyed the Wellington challenge, but I think I can't stop wrapping my head around the trompe l'oeil dish and I really loved it.

From Salon

Ali's attempt to create a garden isn't so much trompe l'oeil as much as it is creating a foodscape.

From Salon

Placing her as Dre's best friend operates as something of a trompe l'oeil given Dre's reason for living is to picture herself in the inner circle of musical royalty.

From Salon

In the last decades of the 19th century, while the art world was enamored with Van Gogh and Matisse, middle-class Americans became obsessed with trompe l'oeil paintings – hyperrealistic still lifes that featured life-size everyday objects.

From Salon

Related Words

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