The Deceived Eye: Textile Effects and their Simulation
28 April – 10 November 2024
Abbeg-Stiftung Museum, Riggisberg, Switzerland
Open daily from 2 p.m. to 5.30 p.m
So what is it? A velvet, an embroidery, a painting? Not everything in this year’s special exhibition is what it seems at first glance. The fabrics, embroideries, wall hangings and vestments dating from the fourth to the seventeenth century are shining examples of textile trompe l’œils. The illusionistic depiction of textiles was an expression of consummate artistry even in ancient painting. The same can be said of weaving, tapestry, and embroidery, in which other textiles are simulated with great skill.
Examples from the fourth to the seventeenth centuries vividly illustrate their artful play of materials, techniques and the viewer’s expectations. Artistic optical illusions are not just a demonstration of superlative craftsmanship; they are also a path to contemplation. Trompe I’œils help to cross the threshold between the pictorial space and the space occupied by the viewer.
More details can be found online here.
Image: Tapestry with Mary and child, Brussels, early sixteenth century, wool, silk and metal threads, inv. no. 5760
