Trompe L'oeil

Figure A--Take a look at these impressive ceiling carvings. Carvings? Look again. These designs are handpainted. There may not be a better example of trompe l'oeil in the United States--or in France, for that matter, than in this home in Missouri.

Figure B--This design over the kitchen stove looks as if it were carved in stone. If the eyes have been fooled by these paintings, then that is just the point. Trompe l'oeil adds another dimension to wall coverings that regular paint can't accomplish.

Figure C--Because the magic of trompe l'oeil is in the illusion created by light and shadows, Breckwoldt feels that the impression made on the viewer is far more lasting than the most exquisite piece of plaster work that could be imagined.