Author: Publisher: Prestel Language: English Release year:
This spellbinding look at the history and development of illusionistic art reveals wide-ranging techniques that have piqued the public's fascination with this medium. Beautifully reproduced, the images featured in the book include centuries-old work such as the scenery at the Teatro Olimpico in Vicenza, Italy, and the ceiling frescos at the Würzburg Residence in Germany, which showcase processes such as trompe l oeil and anamorphosis.
It also features work from the 20th and 21st centuries, including René Magritte's classic Surrealist works; MC Escher with magical and mathematically precise drawings; the seemingly undulating paintings of Bridget Riley; the manipulated photography of Andreas Gursky; Duane Hanson with eerily lifelike sculptures; JR with larger-than-life portrait photographs; and Georges Rousse with mind-bending constructions.
The book also has examples of amazing street art including subway graffiti and a sidewalk painting that makes pedestrians think twice. This extraordinary and informative guide to all kinds of artistic trickery will satisfy scholars as well as everyday fans.
