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FOOL THE EYE
Numismatic Art with a Twist
by Cathy L. Clark, ANA 181322

Trompe l'Oeil (that's French for "fool the eye") has been a recognized art form since the 5th century B.C., when Greek artist Zeuxis painted grapes so delectably real that birds tried to carry them away. Depicting three-dimensional objects and scenes on a two-dimensional surface in so lifelike a manner that the observer thinks theyıre real is a fantastic feat of artistic legerdemain. And it was not always appreciated by critics of bygone days. Well, who does like to be tricked? Many, apparently. Contemporary masters of illusion have found an "Mastering the art of deception in its highest form" is the goal of contemporary trompe l'oeil tricksters, and U.S. currency is their primary prank.

Money, exemplifying the challenge of the commonplace, became a popular motif in trompe l'oeil pieces. appreciative and ever-growing market for their pigment tinted deceptions. And one of the most popular subjects is money!

Allure of Illusion... Eighteenth and nineteenth century art theorists may not have held the genre in the highest regard, deeming it a mundane form of still-life painting, a prosaic imitation of inanimate objects. Art collectors, however, always have esteemed the technical, intellectual and often witty wizardry of trompe l'oeil painting. The ancient Greeks were awestruck at one of the first art competitions, when the aforementioned Zeuxis and his succulent pseudo grapes lost out to Parrhasios, who won by painting a curtain that his rival tried to draw aside to see the work hidden behind it. Romans utilized trompe l'oeil as an architectural element, extending the view outdoors, as in the frescoes at Pompeii. The discovery of the principle of perspective in 15th-century Renaissance Italy and advancements in the science of optics in 17th century Netherlands enabled the trompe l'oeil artist to refine his ability to toy with the perceptions of unsuspecting spectators.

Currency Connection... Money, exemplifying the challenge of the commonplace, became a popular motif in trompe l'oeil pieces. A story is told about Rembrandtıs students painting coins on the studio floor to see if the master would stoop to pick them up, says Larry Charles, cofounder (along with Donald Clapper) of the Trompe l'oeil Society of Artists, an organization formed in 2001 to publicize and promote the genre. In the 19th century, American artists William Harnett, John F. Peto, Victor Dubreuil and John Haberle took trompe l'oeil from decoration to fine art with U.S. currency serving as a major focus of their optical illusions. Their work was so convincing, they even ran afoul of the government, Charles notes. For instance, when Harnettıs Five Dollar Bill was displayed in a New York saloon in 1886, it elicited such a reaction that several daily news-papers reported the story. Concerned New York Secret Service agents paid the artist a visit just to let him know that it was in his best interest to steer his genius in another direction, Charles explains. Of course, the publicity only encouraged others with a rebellious, artistic bent to paint more money. So, what is the payoff in painting U.S. coins and paper currency? Members of the Trompe l'oeil Society of Artists have some intriguing answers:

"Successfully executing a painting of money is a real feather in your cap. You know youıve achieved a level of excellence few can master. Itıs fun and interactive", says Clapper, current Society president. "But it has a more serious side too. Trompe l'oeil compositions go beyond photorealism, beyond the extremes of dark and light that a camera produces. It pushes the bound-aries of reality and defies them." For Charles, itıs all about "wow factor". "In this age of digital imaging and special effects, to be able to achieve the necessary degree of realism with just a paintbrush and a tube of paint... to enlighten, entertain and tell a story is great, especially when you see that the audience finally gets the punchline."

Eric Conklin, who takes a "Dutch Old Masters' approach, explains, "Money is very difficult to paint. If done correctly, the finished product is something of a wonder. Paper money is so beautiful. Prior to 1928, engravers took such care with the design and execution that they produced miniature works of art. I particularly fancy the $10, $20 and $50 large gold certificates, but have been painting the small gold certificates because people can identify with the size of the bill". Conklin says that coins are easy to paint, taking only two days to a week to complete, depending on their design. A note, however, can take two weeks. Charles says an artist easily can work on a single dollar bill for as long as a month before heıs satisfied itıs finished. "Itıs worth the effort because people really respond to money paintings", Conklin continues: "I had a coin collector buy a work simply because he couldnıt tell the 1854 large cent wasnıt real. Last year, I had people trying to scrape a $100 bill off a painting and had to retouch the fingernail marks with varnish". Exquisite attention to detail... Trompe l'oeil technique is exacting, requiring great skill and talent.

Gayle B. Tate, master of money painting who put 23 bills in his work, "Dollar Signs", comments, "At first, it was the ultimate challenge to reproduce paper currency in a believable manner. The paintbrush is not an engraving tool. Achieving the sharp fineness of the engraver with a brush took years of trial and error. Ultimately, the solution was to combine a mixture of colors that would approximate the color and value of the engraved area, and then actually make brushes that could be used to achieve the unusual combination of precision and texture", Tate explains. "Of course, an extensive amount of drawing is always needed, and that, combined with oil painting techniques, has proven a valuable key to achieving the end effect", Tate adds.

"The next challenge is getting the age of the paper and all the accompanying shadows, tears and other characteristics to behave correctly. There is no other way around the simple fact that layer upon layer of pigments, carefully scumbled on or glazed, are required to do this", Tate says. "By the time a single money note is done, I have worked in from five to eight different layers of paint, and have drawn, redrawn and painted the entire face of the note as many as three or four times. There are no shortcuts to excellence, and this is especially true if one expects to make a believable piece of money!" Tate notes that over time he has learned a great deal about painting and engraving processes. "I have even done one mezzotint/engraving of a money painting, all by hand, including the engraving of the face of a $5 note. The whole process was enlightening, and I gained a new appreciation of the task of the engraver".