Allow Your Eyes Time to Settle the Illusion

When you ascend the dark, narrow spiral staircase and step out onto the wooden viewing pavilion, do not rush to take photos immediately. The entire rotunda was engineered in 1881 as a trompe-l'œil optical illusion. Stand still for at least two to three minutes to allow your pupils to adjust to the diffuse natural daylight coming through the hidden glass canopy.

Pay close attention to the foreground: real beach sand, dried sea grass, wooden shoes, and authentic fishing nets are physically arranged on a false terrain. Look closely at the boundary where the physical dune ends and the 14-meter-high painted canvas begins. The seamless transition makes the flat canvas appear entirely three-dimensional and infinitely deep.