The place of Trompe L'oeil technique in painting art and analysis on the paintings of Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts

Throughout the history of art, artists have continuously sought to represent reality faithfully, develop original forms of expression, and establish diverse modes of engagement with the viewer. With the discovery of perspective, this pursuit extended beyond mere aesthetic concerns, paving the way for the evolution of technical strategies aimed at manipulating visual perception. In this context, one of the most striking approaches has been art practices grounded in visual illusion. The trompe l'oeil technique, which is based on the depiction of visual reality through illusion, has a historical lineage stretching from antiquity to the present day. Especially prominent during the Renaissance and Baroque periods - particularly in architectural ornamentation, mural painting, and still life - this approach has expanded into various disciplines with the advent of modern art, evolving into a multidimensional form of expression. In this regard, trompe l'oeil stands out as a method employed by artists to create visual illusions. Originating from French, the term literally means "to deceive the eye," referring to a representational style that blurs the boundary between reality and illusion by leading the viewer into an optical deception. The primary aim of this study is to examine the technique of trompe l'oeil, one of the most captivating and technically complex examples of visual illusion art, through a holistic approach that includes its historical development, artistic dimensions, and forms of application. The role of this technique in the art of painting has been explored, and the key elements that constitute its foundation, such as perspective, space, color, and light-shadow, have been analyzed in relation to its application. Another focal point of the thesis is the analysis of the works of Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts, an artist renowned for his mastery of trompe l'oeil during the Baroque period. The artist's works illustrate how this technique addresses the issues of visual illusion and representation. Within the context of this research, the perceptual illusion-based approaches in the paintings of Eyüp Çakmak have also been examined. Keywords: Trompe l'oeil, Illusion, Cornelis Norbertus Gijsbrechts, Visual illusion techniques