John Haberle

John Haberle was an American artist born on April 4, 1856, in New Haven, Connecticut, and he passed away on February 3, 1933. He was a prominent figure in the trompe-l'œil movement, a genre of painting that creates the optical illusion of three-dimensionality. Haberle is best known for his meticulous still-life paintings that often featured currency, which led to scrutiny from the U.S. Secret Service due to their lifelike accuracy. His work is characterized by a high level of detail and a playful engagement with themes of perception and reality. Despite facing challenges such as deteriorating eyesight later in life, Haberle's contributions to American art remain significant, particularly in the realm of illusionistic painting. His legacy is preserved in collections such as those of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Gallery of Art.