"Trompe le pied." , by Erik Pevernagie, oil on canvas, 100 x 130 cm

The eye can be fooled, and the foot can be fooled as well. ”Trompe l’oeil“ can result in “Trompe le pied.” Watch your step! We may stumble and twist an ankle.

By extension, we should think twice sometimes, and not let first impressions deceive ourselves.

By a next extension, when shrouded meanings and grim intentions are nicely polished up, and poker-faced personae are generously palming off their fantasy constructs, caution is the watchword since rippling water on the well of truth swiftly obscures our vision and perception.

By a further extension, although social relationships may be crippled by acrimonious minefields, manipulative psychological gambits, or mysterious undercurrent power games, some tell-tale social flickers might help us in finding a lucid interpretation of hazy circumstances.

By monetary extension, financial advisors should be given the third degree, since many people have been fooled by the “Trompe le pied” of the stock exchange as they stumbled on the cascade of the Dow Jones interactive share price charts.

As a whole, we may do well to be attentive to the good and the bad vibrations in life. Since elephants use their feet to listen to vibrations and thus capture significant codes of impending peril, they might coach humans and teach them how to become “surefooted” in perilous times.

Keeping feet on the ground, however, should not hinder us from flying high and reaching soaring heights!

Phenomenon: Deception of the ear

Factual starting point of the picture: Female legs