Term: Repoussoir

Repoussoir (pronounced reh-poo-swahr) comes from the French verb "to push back". It is used in art to describe an object placed near the foreground edges to increase the illusion of depth in the rest of the picture. These objects frame the edge and guide, or push, the viewer’s eyes back towards the central theme. The term can also be used to describe a strong color that helps make the luminous parts of a painting more visible.

Trees and figures are commonly employed as repoussoir devices. They are placed on the left or right side of the composition to enclose the scene. A wonderful example of repoussoir is found in Vermeer's Art of Painting. The large foreground curtain seems to have been drawn back to let the viewer enter the scene. The curtain's warm tone and heavy impasto paint make it appear very near the foreground. As a result, the curtain pushes the artist and model further into the painting and guides the viewer to the illuminated center of interest.