Conques
May 21, 2008 by admin
Conques is a very attractive village in the Aveyron department, with a renowned pilgrimage abbey and a main street lined with beautiful houses, all in a picture postcard setting in a wooded valley. So why does this photo of Conques show none of that?
This house caught my eye because of the balustrades that form part of the external wall of this house – they seem to be actually built into the wall, rather than a vestige left over from when an adjacent house fell down. Now how does a house come to have external balustrades I wonder?
This feature caught my imagination too!
Unfortunately the building on the right appears to be a latter addition hiding the whole effect. Conclusion drawn from the door position and the differing cornerstones on each building.
The effect of the balustrades which is normally achieved by mural painting is used here to trick the viewer’s senses.
The technique is called TROMPE L’OEIL which means “to fool the eye”.
Thanks to Eodez who enlightened me during a day at Conques which is well worth a visit.
Thanks for the explanation, I never would have guessed it was an intentional trick!