How to make a person appear... through a painting!

Around a street corner, ten people gather in front of a table. In front of them, an eleventh person, a magician playing with his cups, invites them to keep a close eye on the ball that will disappear in a few moments…

This scene is from The Conjurer, a painting attributed to Hieronymus Bosch and believed to have been created between 1475 and 1505.

But the artwork doesn't just depict a fictitious magic scene; it is a magic trick in itself! What if we told you there weren't actually 11 (human) characters but rather 12… could you find this mysterious character?

And what if we told you to turn your screen a quarter turn counter-clockwise… and look at the table? It becomes a character itself, seemingly watching the onlookers out of the corner of its eye… as if diverting attention from the theft occurring, with the character on the left stealing the purse of the one in front! What is certain is that nearly half a millennium after its creation, this work never ceases to amaze us!

And if you enjoy anecdotes about the history of magic, feel free to browse our books, such as those on Bénita Anguinet, Munito, and many others. Books on the history of magic to satisfy your magical curiosity!

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