Painted Illusions The Art of Cornelius Gijsbrechts

The art of deception that Cornelius Gijsbrechts perfected at the court of Denmark around 1670 is one of the most dazzling feats of visual trickery in the history of European painting. Although the artist himself is a mysterious figure, his pictures not only delight with their illusions, but also force viewers to consider the nature of the real world and the power of art.;Cornelius Gijbnrechts is little known outside Copenhagen, where he produced his illusions for the Danish Kings Fredkerik III and Christian V - and where the bulk of his best work remains. However, visitors to the Statens Museum of Kunst in Copenhagen have long been drawn to these images and the National Gallery was delighted when it was able to show this group of paintings for the first time outside of Denmark.;In this book, Olaf Koester, the Senior Curator of Paintings at the Statens Museum, Copehagen, introduces some of Gijbrecht's most intriguing works. Accompanying a major National Gallery exhibition, "Painted Illusions" traces the artist's influences and his subsequent followers, as well as providing in-depth analysis of the works themselves.