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Staircase Group — Two painted figures appear to ascend a real staircase.
Look closely. Let the image settle.
Illusions in painting / 1795

Staircase Group

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Two painted figures appear to ascend a real staircase.

TRY THIS

Follow the painted steps and imagine a real step continuing out in front of the picture.

FOLLOW THE SOURCES

History, evidence & image credit

THE IMAGE IN THIS ARCHIVE

Charles Willson Peale

Original file & attribution · Public domain

This locally stored image is a Wikimedia Commons rendition (resized or rendered from the source file). The full original is linked from the source record. Gallery previews may be resized or converted to WebP; animated previews show the first frame.

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Frequently asked questions

What is Staircase Group?

Two painted figures appear to ascend a real staircase.

What should I look for in Staircase Group?

Follow the painted steps and imagine a real step continuing out in front of the picture.

What explains Staircase Group?

The painting’s scale and perspective continue real architectural cues. A reproduction shows the image but does not recreate the original installation’s full illusion.

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Staircase Group — Two painted figures appear to ascend a real staircase.

Staircase Group