Step 4 of 5

Successfully faked

The wall has an architectural look. It’s got pillars disappearing into the wall half-way through. Unfortunately, these too are, just like the piece of wallpaper, all fake.

The optical illusion is so well-executed, it can’t be distinguished from the real thing: the work of a highly gifted painter. This technique took years to fully master, and was passed from master to student by copying them step by step. The student not only needed to have optical insight, but knowledge of materials, paint types, and binder as well.