Which style involves painting design elements to resemble real objects?

The style characterized by painting design elements to create the illusion of real objects is known as trompe l'oeil. This French term translates to "deceive the eye," and it describes techniques that artists use to create realistic imagery that tricks viewers into perceiving painted detail as three-dimensional. This approach is often employed in architecture and interior design to create effects that can make walls appear to have depth, like windows or doorways, or to mimic architectural features like columns or moldings.

Trompe l'oeil relies heavily on the mastery of perspective and shadowing techniques to achieve its lifelike effects, resulting in compositions that can be incredibly convincing. This is distinct from other styles, as they may incorporate various forms of representation without the specific intent to deceive the viewer into perceiving flat images as solid forms. For example, chinoiserie features motifs inspired by Chinese art but does not aim to create depth, while implications of styles like impressionism and papier peints vary significantly in their artistic emphasis and methods.