The Reverse of a Framed Painting

The Reverse of a Framed Painting (in Danish: Bagsiden af et indrammet maleri) is a still life trompe-l'œil painting by Flemish painter Cornelius Norbertus Gysbrechts, made in 1670, when the artist was working as the official painter of the Danish royal court. The painting is commonly considered a masterpiece of trompe-l'œil painting for its deceptively sculptural representation of the back of a framed painting in a canvas.

The work has already been called as "the most radical meditation about painting as an object and as an image", and is interpreted as an early example of conceptual art.

History
The first bibliographic reference mentioning the existence of the painting was the inventory of 1 August 1674 of the Kunstkammer of the royal family of Denmark, during the reign of Christian V of Denmark, although it is believed that this was a commission of the former king, Frederick III of Denmark, since he had interest in collectionism and, especially, in Flemish painting, which could have led him to hire Cornelius Gysbrechts for the position of royal court painter.

Technique
The original approach of the trompe-l'œil technique on the work, at the time, allowed the viewer to see it as an object of curiosity, suitable to be shown in a Kunstkammer, such as the intention of the painter. In order to reinforce its illusion, the painting was supposedly exhibited leaning on the entrance hall of the Royal Danish Kunstkammer, suggesting the idea that the painting was just a frame, yet to be hung up. Even today, the painting is exhibited in this way at the Statens Museum for Kunst.