TROMPE L'OEIL DOORWAY  

MAGNOLIA COURTHOUSE, COLUMBIA COUNTY ARKANSAS 

Magnolia's downtown, in the southwestern part of the state, is a commercial success. It's town square is populated by many fine old buildings, and nearly all have active businesses in them. Unfortunately, nearly every building on the square has been altered to such an extent that the original structure is nearly unrecognisable below the stucco or modern steel finishes.

But that's not upon which I have come here to expound.

Christ, English is a clunky language.

The Columbia County Courthouse is one of the gems of Arkansas. It is absolutely gorgeous, and has many things about which it can brag.

Neoclassical to an extent to which other Neoclassical buildings try to aspire, the triangular pediments, Corinthian capitals, bas reliefs and exaggerated eave brackets SCREAM Greece. Or Rome, if you go that way.

But it is the pair of unused doors on the north and south sides that blow my mind.

Featured here is the north side.

The glass that would normally be in the two doors, the sidelites and the huge transom has been replaced with wood panels, and those panels have been painted to look like what you might see if there really was glass.

Hunh?

It's a painting. A VERY accurate painting of the doors on the other side of the building as well as a reflection of the sky and surrounding magnolia trees in the transom and skylights. If you go around to the south side of the courthouse, you'll come face to face with its twin.

The technique is called trompe l' oeil, and is not seen much nowadays. More common in Victorian times, these life size Vestige-scapes often portrayed scenes that might occur but don't necessarily.

Just why they didn't keep the glass is a mystery (it would have shown the same thing), but Magnolia has several fine murals painted on its downtown buildings, and this is likely part of that theme. Might even be the same artist that did some of them.

My guess is that they didn't want people using those doors, so they sealed them, painted the scenes, and laugh like hell when someone tries to open them.

It is a surprise to find something like this on a courthouse. And it's an absolute delight to the senses.