Boilly's Grapes (2004)
Oil on board, 35.5x28cm
Louis-Léopold Boilly (1761-1845) was a French painter credited with being the first person to use the term 'trompe l'oeil' to describe his illusionistic works. He did a pair of paintings of grapes, which alluded to the ancient Greek story of Zeuxis and Parrhasius (Zeuxis' painting of grapes was reputedly so realistic that birds flew down to peck at them). My painting is a homage which places Boilly's picture of grapes behind trompe l'oeil broken glass.
©copyright 2005 Nicholas Middleton