AI or Public Domain Art? Can You Spot the Difference?

the public makes fun of the paintings in the impressionist show in 1874
Advertisement

Ah, art. Art makes the world a better place. Art conveys emotions; art connects people across generations to a time in the past. There’s a lot of art out there, some very old—so old, in fact, it’s in the public domain. Some art is so new, like AI-powered work, that connoisseurs would say we’re remiss to call it art at all. But here we are in an era where technology and creativity collide. As AI continues to push boundaries, the lines between human craftsmanship and machine-generated creations are blurring. Can you spot the difference? Time to put your art expertise to the test!

History lesson

Trompe-l’œil — Art That Tricks Your Eyes and Blows Your Mind

Trompe-l’œil (French for “deceive the eye”) is all about tricking the viewer into thinking they’re seeing something three-dimensional on a flat surface. It’s been around since ancient Greece and Rome, where artists used it to make rooms look bigger by painting fake windows or doors. Romans were all about making small spaces feel more expansive.

Fast forward to the Renaissance, and the technique saw a revival. Artists like Andrea Mantegna made ceilings look like they opened straight into the sky, taking realism to new heights. It was a way to show off artistic skill—getting that depth and perspective just right was no small feat.

In the 17th century, Trompe-l’œil really took off, especially in Northern Europe. Baroque artists like Samuel van Hoogstraten created hyper-realistic scenes, sometimes so convincing you’d want to reach out and touch the objects. By the 19th century, American artists got in on the action, too, with painters like William Harnett mastering the illusion game in still-life work.

Today, you’ll still see Trompe-l’œil in street art and murals, keeping the tradition of optical illusion alive and well. It’s a classic technique that keeps evolving while sticking to its core purpose: fooling the eye and blowing minds.

Zach, Heywise Staff

Quiz WriterZach, Heywise Staff

Zach has been riding the gondola of trivia wherever the waters take him. Although he’s not a named consultant on any major quiz TV shows, Zach has watched them all since infancy and will happily take up any challenge whether it be pub quizzes or high-stakes matches he isn’t afraid to show up. And showing up is 90% of the work!

Did you know?

What's the deal with Portrait of Edmond de Belamy

In 2018, Portrait of Edmond de Belamy went under the hammer at Christie’s and blew everyone’s minds when it sold for $432,500. The kicker? A person didn’t paint this eerie, blurry portrait. It came from a French collective called Obvious, who trained an AI on thousands of portraits to spit out something that looked vaguely human—if you squint. This wasn’t some gimmick; it marked the moment AI crashed into the fine art world with a hefty price tag.

But that sale made people realize we were standing at the edge of a new creative frontier, where algorithms could create art that might pass as human-made (or fool a few collectors, anyway). The portrait wasn’t just a fluke—it raised questions about who gets to call themselves an artist in a world where machines can generate their own work. Whether it’s a passing trend or the future, this sale shook the art world to its core.

How to Play?

Instructions on how to take a trivia quiz? What? They're easy, right? Well, if it's your first day on the internet or on Heywise, we'd like to take a moment and say, "welcome! We're glad you're here, and you're in for a wild ride."

So you've found a quiz, and gosh darn it, you know you know all the answers. Choose the correct answer and keep going! We've got hints ready when you need them and some other goodies, too.

Not happy with your result? If you're signed in to Heywise, you can always try our "beat this score" feature on the My Quizzes page. Good luck!

About Heywise

Get knOwledgeable! Heywise is where entertainment and trivia meet, like a turducken of fun. Anytime. Anywhere. Since 2017, Heywise has been a leader of quizzes on the web, on mobile devices, and across social media.

We explore a broad range of topics – from sports to history, language to pop culture, personality to health. Our quizzes motivate readers to test their knowledge and learn new and exciting facts.

We’re inspired by food and unique destinations around the globe. We love movies and TV shows, but most of all we love having the opportunity to share these passions with you.

Have you ever wondered what color represents your personality? Do you know which Hogwarts House you belong to? Are you a Pessimist or an Optimist? Our unique personality quizzes will help you find out! We want to share the knowledge of all things awesome with you.

We’re the best quiz site on the internet. That might be our opinion, but it’s pure fact that we get up in the morning expressly to share awesome, eye-opening knowledge with you. So, come get your brain pumping.

Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending on Heywise