Trompe l'Oeil of Posted Notices and Prints 1735 - 1765

Curator: Editor: Okay, so this is "Trompe l'Oeil of Posted Notices and Prints," created sometime between 1735 and 1765 by Martin Cerulli. It looks like it uses all sorts of things - pen, ink, graphite, colored pencil, gouache, print, all on paper. The illusion of depth is really striking, but I'm curious about its purpose. What am I looking at here? Curator: You're looking at a carefully constructed performance of reality, rendered through the meticulous application of diverse materials. Consider the labor involved: the layering of ink, graphite, colored pencil and gouache. It simulates printed matter, including what appears to be miniature botanical studies. What does the artist's choice to painstakingly recreate these ephemeral objects suggest to you? Editor: That it might be elevating the everyday – the sorts of printed ephemera that would have been plastered around a city. Maybe, making a point about the value, or lack thereof, placed on different kinds of "art" or craft. But if it imitates everyday items, doesn't that cheapen its value? Curator: Ah, but is it truly imitation, or a commentary on the very nature of imitation and production? Trompe-l'oeil, as a technique, blurs the line between original and reproduction, labor and leisure, "high" art and the world of commercial prints. Who, in this period, would have the resources to acquire, display, or produce an image such as this? What social function did these elaborate recreations serve, given the relatively accessible prints they mimic? Editor: I guess it’s not as simple as "this looks real." There’s this whole social game going on, tied to who can appreciate the skill and labor. It is amazing how diverse the techniques applied are for something that on its surface, appears so modest! Curator: Precisely. By examining the materiality and methods of its construction, we reveal layers of social meaning embedded in this deceptive image. I found a new appreciation for the process that went into the work, even knowing this doesn't guarantee that everyone in the time period could appreciate that!