Originally posted by ivanvernon I am really not all that smart--I also had to look it up to spell it correctly.
For the record, it’s “trompe l'oeil”, not “trompe d'oeil”, literally meaning “trick the eye” (not “trick of eye”, which is what trompe d'oeil translates as). It’s been used in art and architecture for a long time – the oldest example I can think of is with Greek columns that were tapered at the top, not for any structural reason, but because they looked more correct that way when viewed from below. Pavement artists use it to give the impression there’s another world below your feet.