Escaping Criticism
Escaping Criticism by Pere Borrell del Caso, 1874
This is a painting by Pere Borrell del Caso, which uses a painting technique called trompe-l’oeil, French for “fool/trump the eye.” It creates an optical illusion that makes the scene have more depth than is traditionally possible with a flat surface. This usually involves painting the environment around the central artwork, fitting it into the space it is made for, and blurring the line between what is real versus what is depicted.
Most works involving this optical illusion technique were used to create voluminous ceilings that seem to stretch to the heavens or into dark abysses without a bottom, working with light in both natural and manipulative ways. The style finds a home in churches all over the world where it has been employed to give viewers a sense of something greater than. In contrast, this work is just one figure. He has been shrouded in a darkness that he is peering out of; we have no idea where he comes from, but we know where he wants to go.
The reason why this work sits with me as much as it does is because of the title and how this story is communicated. This is a young boy, perhaps the painter himself, and he is running from something very intently and frantically. The dire look of distress on his face concerns us as he quite literally reaches through the frame and enters our space. I have an instinct to break his gaze and find eye contact with him, reaching my hand forward to invite him into safety.
Ultimately, the inspiration this painting leaves me with is the knowledge that emotions can be represented in ways which make us feel them without understanding them. This boy could be running from the police, a wild animal, or even a friend. We have no idea, but we still connect with his panic. He could be the villain in the larger narrative, but because of the spotlight that’s been chosen, we don’t necessarily care. We don’t know if the failure to escape would mean his death, the loss of something, or even a slap on the wrist, but we still empathize with this moment we have been thrown. It is full of emotion, that which is felt even without a clear plot.
