“Believe not thine eyes!” Illusions in Art from the collection of the State Hermitage Museum

Trompe l’oeil is a term for the illusionistic reproduction of real-life objects by artistic means, evoking the impression of the presence of the genuine article and not a depiction of it. Such works play with our visual perception: flat objects become three-dimensional, nearby objects seem far away. Illusion becomes reality.

Trompe l’oeil creations make us marvel at the mastery of artists who can be so persuasive in their “practice to deceive”. Looking at such works, one might be reminded of the well-known aphorism from the fictional 19th-century Russian author Kozma Prutkov: “When reading the label ‘Buffalo’ on an elephant’s cage, believe not thine eyes!”

The display contains more than 250 items from the stocks of the Hermitage, including paintings, works of graphic art and sculpture, articles made of silver, glass, porcelain and semiprecious stone, a variety of fabrics and pieces of furniture. Some items were specially restored for the exhibition and are on show for the first time.

The exhibition features various kinds of deception: trompe l’oeil – artworks creating an illusion of volume, imitation of materials – objects that reproduce the outward appearance of various substances (wood, stone, metal) and imitations of objects – things that take on the form of others (books, fruit, flowers). All the exhibits have a deceptive appearance and are fascinating for their skilful manner of execution.

The display is based on the juxtaposing of objects, illusory and real. Viewers are invited to take part in an intriguing game of “spot the deception” as they find themselves caught up in various scenarios. As in any play, there is a certain line to the plot: the viewer sees the object, takes it for its real-life counterpart, then discovers the trick and becomes even more curious.

One section of the display comprises modern-day deceptions created specially for the exhibition in Kazan by artists and sculptors of the Imperial Porcelain Factory joint-stock company in Saint Petersburg who are continuing the age-old traditions of virtuoso production of various illusory objects.

The exhibition “ ‘Believe not thine eyes!’ Illusions in Art” from the collection of the State Hermitage is an interactive plunge into a world of unusual art with children’s play zones, accompanied by multimedia design, tactile stations and aromatic installations. Visitors will be offered general and thematic guided tours specially developed to accompany the display, lessons for schoolchildren and a programme of games for the whole family, lectures, an audio-guide and creative master classes.

The exhibition’s curators are Irina Radikovna Bagdasarova, Candidate of Art Studies, and Natalia Yuryevna Bakhareva, both senior researchers in the State Hermitage’s Department of the History of Russian Culture.

A video film has been produced for the exhibition, and a scholarly illustrated catalogue published in Russian – “Ne ver’ glazam svoim”. Illiuzii v iskusstve (Slavia publishing house, 2024). The catalogue texts were written by Irina Bagdasarova, Natalia Bakhareva (State Hermitage) and Ye.M. Mikhailova (Imperial Porcelain Factory joint-stock company). The catalogue’s general scholarly editor was Mikhail Borisovich Piotrovsky, General Director of the State Hermitage.

The exhibition “ ‘Believe not thine eyes!’ Illusions in Art” will be the central event of the Hermitage Days in Kazan, to be held from 20 to 24 February 2024.