This colorful, lively, and endlesslyentertaining book for children looksat artistic illusion showing that arthistory is rife with tricksters. If seeing is believing, then artists might be the biggest liars ofall. Painters, sculptors, and photographers often try toconvince their audiences that the paint is wet; the fruit is real;the window is open; the figure s eyes are following you aroundthe room. This fun and informative book takes young readerson a thematic tour of art as illusion. From the Parthenonthrough examples from nearly every major movement andculture, vibrant works of art are revealed to contain visualtricks, puns, hidden clues and just plain deceit. Seurat spointillism, da Vinci s mysterious Mona Lisa, Magritte s playfulpaintings-within-paintings, and Duane Hanson s eerily realisticstatues are all explored in detail to discuss the techniques,styles, use of perspective and composition that implore us tolook at them again and again. Filled with ideas for do-ityourselfoptical projects, each chapter focuses on a themesuch as color, hidden pictures, and surrealism. Designed withthe curious eye in mind, this book will introduce young readersto beguiling works of art with fresh insight and a new way ofappreciating some of the world s most important works of art.