„Dem Schein nach“, Michael Lassel, Sparkasse Fürth, Fürth, Bavaria, 07.06. - 21.06.2007

[Michael Lassel]

Fürther Nachrichten, 2007, CLAUDIA SCHULLER

Absurd miniature worlds

The precisely calculated art of optical illusion: Michael Lassel mastered the ancient technique of painting trompe-l'oeil

How can it be that this house of cards has not yet collapsed? How did this hand get into the slanting house and where is the missing figure?

The fascinating world of pictures by Michael Lassel, which can be seen until the end of this week in the main branch of the Sparkasse Fürth, poses a number of riddles for the observer. The numerous elements such as glasses, books, mirrors, paper money, puppets, playing cards and clocks are so tightly arranged that it makes your head spin.

Tromp l'oeil is the name of Lassels style of painting. And basically, these are small provocations and unimaginable intellectual illusions. When Lassel unfolds his "optical illusion" it always resonates in irony. The miniature worlds with the crazy, sometimes altar-like arrangements and the simply impossible still lifes, which don’t even after long consideration disclose their secret, are prepared meticulously.

Sculptures, landscapes and architecture are to a certain degree geometrically deceived. So much so that it is often believed one would be able to take it out of the picture. Thereby everyday objects obtain through combination and composition symbolic content and holy orders. No, these are not photographs, as one means to believe at first glance, it’s just technically well-executed painting that plays perfectly with perspective, light and shadows – and counting on the viewer.

The amasing effect is of course precisely calculated: Lassel constructs before hand large models, which he then cunningly transfers onto the canvas.

The painter who comes from Transylvania and lives in Fürth, gave up abstract painting for trompe l'oeil because he was immediately so fascinated by the "delusions" as they called the deceptive pictures earlier. Today he is one of its most important protagonists.