Fauna and trompe-l'oeil style The trompe-l’oeil plates are decorative pieces and their function is to produce surprise and optical illusion. These plates are made to be placed on sideboards or tables following the French trend trompe-d’oeil.
L’Alcora Ceramics: Fauna and trompe-l’oeil style
Over the plates there are precisely reproduced fruits, vegetables, other food and three-dimensional animals, which give a strong sense of realism. The creation of the majority of the trompe-l’oeil pieces is attributed to Julián López (one of the best sculptors of the Royal Factory).
Related to the trompe-l’oeil plates there is a series called “fauna from l’Alcora”: this is a succession of small figures of animals with different uses. There are tureens, sauce boats, paperweights, mancerinas, jewellers, cruets… that have the shape of a dog, frog, lizard, cock and hen, swan, pigeon, sheep, partridge, etc.
The sauce boats in the shape of a partridge were very popular and these pieces were produced till the beginning of the 20th century. These pieces are one of the most representatives of the production of the Royal Factory.
