What is Imitationalism? Imitationalism refers to art that focuses on things being realistically represented. Imitationalism is a theory of art that judge’s artwork based on how real it looks. An Imitationalist is focused on creating art that looks as real as possible and believes that artistic success can only be achieved through the exact recreation of an image. From an Imitationalist viewpoint, if an artwork does not look real or believable it is not of any value. Some extreme Imitationalists have used their talent for recreating believable space and form to create works of art that make you think they are actually real. This method of painting is called trompe l'oeil, a French phrase that means “to fool the eye” and that is exactly what it does. Below are some examples of how artists use this theory of judgment to both gain recognition in the art world and to have some fun. Edward Collier, the artist who painted this image has mastered the French Imitationalist technique of “fooling the eye”. If you were to see this painting hanging on a wall, the papers look so real you might start to reach out to pluck them from out under the leather. At our very own art museum in Indianapolis, the IMA, we have a few works of art that are very similar to this work here. (And they really do look real enough to touch!) The illusionistic perspective of Andrea Pozzo's trompe-l'oeil dome at Sant'Ignazio (1685) creates an illusion of an actual architectural space on what is, in actuality, a slightly concave painted surface. ----Wikipedia Andrea Mantegna, Di sotto in sù ceiling fresco in the Camera degli Sposi of the Palazzo Ducale in Mantua. Other forms of Imitationalism that are not necessarily meant to “fool the eye” or make you think they are real include portraits of people meant to catch the likeness of the person- or to look just like them. Can you think of any other examples of Imitationalistic art? This image is a portrait painted by Chuck Close. An imitationalist would think very highly of his work. Why do you think this is? What does an Imitationalist not care about? An imitationalist is not impressed by beautiful colors or extreme textures. An imitationalist does not think that the story behind an artwork is important or worthy of value. Imitationalist can’t see the importance in hearing the artist’s point of view or in feeling an emotion from a work of art. An Imitationalist would say… Below is a photorealistic painting Done by Ralph Goings “Heavens, Ralph! Those bottles are the most impressive sample of painting I’ve ever seen! Gracious Lord, those reflections…unbelievably realistic…and that catsup, simply edible. “