For Sunday's Dinner 1888

William Michael Harnett's "For Sunday's Dinner" (1888), currently located at the Art Institute of Chicago, is a striking example of trompe l'oeil, a genre of painting that aims to deceive the viewer into believing the depicted objects are real. The work depicts a freshly-killed chicken hanging upside down against a dark wooden door, a few feathers scattered around, creating a sense of realism. Harnett was a master of this style, employing meticulous detail and masterful use of light and shadow to create a sense of depth and illusion.