Aphorismi Politici: Trompe l'Oeil with Posted Notices and Prints 1735 - 1765

Martin Cerulli made this intriguing trompe l'oeil – ‘fool the eye’ – composition with pen and ink on paper in the mid-18th century. It’s designed to give the impression of ephemera pinned to a wooden board. Cerulli was really playing with the visual conventions of his time. He wants us to think about the way printed images circulate and accrue meaning. Consider the level of skill required to produce such an illusion. Think of the careful handiwork involved in rendering each simulated scrap of paper, each pin, each woodgrain. The artist invites us to appreciate not just the content of the image, but the making of it. With this drawing, Cerulli elevates what might otherwise be considered mundane, highlighting the artistry inherent in both the represented printed matter and his own, hand-rendered copy. He asks us to reconsider the value we place on different forms of labor and creativity.