Santa Maria Presso di San Satiro

Second stop for the day was Santa Maria Presso di San Satiro, a small church dating back to the 9th century. The Gothic frescoes, two bays and a vaulted ceiling still remain from the original structure.

In the 15th century architect Donato Bramante transformed the church in an effort to expand its limited size and to make the church appear even larger added a trompe l'oeil painting adding depth to the church behind the alter. The illusion uses trompe l'oeil paintings of realistic looking columns, arches and a dome to extend the 97cm space to look more like almost 10 metres. This is the first known use of the trompe l'oeil painting technique.

I have to say this is very well done. As you enter the main doors of the church the alter is directly ahead and you cannot tell that the space behind the alter is less than a metre deep. Its only until you get a side on view and you think your eyes are playing tricks on you that you see how the trompe l'oil painting has been created. Pretty impressive.Read more