When Patrick Commecy encounters a blank wall, he sees potential. The French street artist paints murals that trick the eye and evoke French history and culture. Commecy uses an ancient technique known as trompe l’oeil (trohmp LUH-ee), which translates from French to mean optical illusion.
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Mural Magic
©Patrick Commecy.
How does the artist trick the viewer’s eye in the mural above?
Commecy paints realistic, two-dimensional murals on buildings. He uses dramatic perspective to show space that seems to recede away from the viewer. He also incorporates existing architectural details. Together, these techniques make the murals appear to be three-dimensional.
Commecy depicts the history of the region where each mural is located. In this example, the artist shows the bridges that connect two French towns. The women in the center do their laundry in the Loire (luh-WAHR) River while children play nearby.
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