Perspective box
I once read an article in a magazine about perspective boxes. In such a perspective box, you see an interior with a very strangely distorted perspective. But when you look at the box from exactly the right angle, the image is accurate.
I found this a very interesting idea and decided to create a contemporary version of a perspective box. With a modern interior, in line with my way of painting. The perspective box by Samuel van Hoogstraten from the Bredius Museum in The Hague was my starting point.
Perspective in a box
Perspective is a key element in my paintings. That’s why I’m fascinated by the 17th-century painters who experimented with it. Perspective boxes were part of their experiments. Six of these have survived. The triangular box, attributed to Samuel van Hoogstraten, is the only one on display in the Netherlands and is located in The Hague.
For me, the challenge was to translate this ancient concept into a modern perspective box, in line with my usual cityscapes and interiors. In the perspective box, I painted a passage inspired by Passage Jouffroy in Paris.
If you look at the photo of my perspective box, you’ll see strange distortions. The idea is to look into the box with one eye at precisely the right viewing point. For this, I created a transparent front with a hole at the viewing point. When you look directly into the box from this angle, the strange distortion disappears, as does the triangular shape of the box. The entire space and shape of the passageway then comes to life. It’s essentially a form of optical illusion.
Would you like to experience this in person? The perspective box will be on display at Galerie Bonnard in Nuenen starting in November 2025.
Why a perspective box?
A short documentary has been made about the how and why of the perspective box. You can watch it in two parts on my YouTube channel.
In these videos, I’ll tell you more about my inspiration and you’ll follow the production process. The documentary is in Dutch with English subtitles.
Part 1
Part 2