Patrick Hughes was born in Birmingham, England, in October 1939. He is a self taught artist who plays with perspective, optical illusions and figure-ground relationships. Building upon the work of M.C. Escher, Rene Magritte and Richard Artschwager, Hughes' paintings form a bridge between painting which is static and two-dimensional, and sculpture which is not.
Hughes held his first exhibition in 1961 and went on to develop his distinct perspective studies in the early years of his career. In calling the main body of his work, “Reverspective,” Hughes aims to warp our perceptions by constructing solid space through the use of sculpted painting.
Hughes builds his sculptured paintings using board which is taped together, gessoed and sanded until it is a pristine wall relief which mimics the shape of space. He then goes on to compose images of rectilinear forms such as buildings, books, doorways, boxes and gallery walls. The resultant painted reliefs baffle his audience by demonstrating how deceptive appearances can be. His Surrealist horizons imply deep space while the surface of the painting appears flat. Yet upon walking toward these seemingly flat paintings, they loom out at us, creating a disorientating, moving experience. Hughes challenges the assumptions of our eye and our brain, raising important questions about human perception and the subconscious.
Soon after his first appearance on the London art scene Hughes began exhibiting with Angela Flowers Gallery and continued to do so for over 40 years. In addition, he has taken part in many solo and group exhibitions across the UK and in America. As well as painting, he has also written and collated three books on visual and verbal rhetoric.
Find original Patrick Hughes paintings and other art on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by Alon Zakaim Fine Art)
Pleasure Island, 3-D Painting by Patrick Hughes
By Patrick Hughes
Located in Long Island City, NY
A unique 3-D painting by Patrick Hughes. Artist: Patrick Hughes, British (1939 - ) Title: Pleasure Island Year: 1999 Medium: Oil on Board 3-D Constr...
Oil, Board
$89,666
Patrick Hughes - Walls Have Ears, optical art, reverspective, op art, illusion
By Patrick Hughes
Located in London, GB
Patrick Hughes (b.1939) Walls have ears 2020 oil on board construction 66.5 x 80.5 x 16 cm Price: £66,000 GBP (inc. 20% UK VAT) Provenance: Direct from the artist's studio Notes: ...
Oil, Board
$11,412
Street
By Patrick Hughes
Located in London, GB
Patrick Hughes Street 2021 hand-painted multiple 38.9 x 74.8 x 19.6 cm (15¼ x 29½ x 7¾ in.) edition of 50 Provenance Direct from the artist’s studio Notes “I have lived and worked in Shoreditch for a quarter of a century and I have watched with delight and amazement the rise of Street Art...
Oil, Board
$350
H 5.99 in W 5.99 in D 0.79 in
Eleanor Woolley, May Hill, Original landscape painting
By Eleanor Woolley
Located in Deddington, GB
May Hill by Eleanor Woolley [May 2021] original Oil Painting on Gesso Board Image size: H:15.2 cm x W:15.2 cm Complete Size of Unframed Work: H:15.2 cm x W:15.2 cm x D:2cm Sold U...
Gesso, Oil, Board
$704Sale Price|20% Off
H 40 in W 83 in
Dense Rolling Clouds, Blue Sky Landscape Triptych, Handmade Cyanotype on Paper
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype of gorgeous rolling clouds. Details: + Title: Dense Rolling Clouds + Year: 2025 + Edition Size: 100 + Stamped and Certifi...
Lithograph, Paper
$557
H 47.25 in W 31.5 in D 0.04 in
Hand painted Artist Proof-Magnolias-Weaver Series-British Awarded Artist #2 of 3
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This stunning Artist's Proof is an one-off, oil hand-painted and gilded by the artist , signed at front and on the back label too; each proof is 80% hand painted and gold gilded by S...
Gold Leaf
$420
H 28 in W 40 in
Pacific Sunset Waves, Contemporary Cyanotype on Paper, Navy Blue, Beach House
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Pacific Sunset Waves" is an original cyanotype that abstractly shows the sunset reflections on the sea. Details: + Titl...
Emulsion, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, Lithograph, Monop...
$420
H 28 in W 40 in
Serene Cove Waters, Feng Shui Seascape, Blue and White Ripples, Horizontal Print
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Serene Cove Waters" is a handmade cyanotype print portraying fresh ripples movements in a Greek Islands cove...
Emulsion, Mixed Media, Watercolor, Photographic Paper, Lithograph, Monop...
$900
H 40 in W 83 in
Floral Triptych of Large Floral Bouquet, Botanical Cyanotype in Classic Blue
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This series of cyanotype triptychs showcases the beauty of nature scenes, including stunning beaches and oceans, as well as the intricate textures of water, forests, and skies. These...
Watercolor, Lithograph, Paper
$420
H 28 in W 40 in
White and Blue Abstract Nautical Cyanotype of Crashing Waters, Coastal Lifestyle
By Kind of Cyan
Located in Barcelona, ES
This is an exclusive handprinted limited edition cyanotype. "Abstract Crashing Water" is an original cyanotype that detailed portraits the eruptions and shapes of salty water in move...
Watercolor, Lithograph, Paper
$1,698
H 10.5 in W 10.5 in D 1.75 in
Miniature Painting of Victoria Embankment London & Houses of Parliament in Rain
By Angela Wakefield
Located in Preston, GB
Miniature Painting of Victoria Embankment London & Houses of Parliament, Westminster in the Rain - a unique original from leading Contemporary Cityscape Artist, Angela Wakefield. Par...
Gesso, Canvas, Paint, Cotton Canvas, Oil, Acrylic, Board
Foggy Winter Forest abstract
Located in Soquel, CA
Print on reclaimed wood, hand-augmented with gesso. Signed in the lower right corner, but due to damage, the signature is illegible. The gesso has intentional craquelure. This piece ...
Gesso, Wood, Color
$801
H 39.38 in W 39.38 in D 0.04 in
Hand-Gilded-Constant Gardener-the last Artist Proof-Rare X-Large-Awarded Artist
By Shizico Yi
Located in London, GB
This is an unique one-off Artist Proof, in a rare Extra-Large square format. A special Proof that only 3 have been made with hand gilded Gold Leaf. The outstanding hand-painted qual...
Gold Leaf
$595
H 14 in W 16 in D 2 in
Antique Italian Lake Como "La Romantica" Framed Impressionist Landscape Painting
Located in Buffalo, NY
Vintage Italian oil painting. Oil on board. Framed. Measuring: 14 by 16 inches overall, and 12 by 14 painting alone. Unsigned. Excellent condition, ready to hang and enjoy.
Oil, Board
Sunset over the river - sunset landscape painting
By Nikolay Dmitriev
Located in Zofingen, AG
The sunny summer painting with sunset is a beautiful wall decor, the painting is created en plein air, the artwork is full of different bright co...
Oil, Board
The Floating City by Patrick Hughes
By Patrick Hughes
Located in New Orleans, LA
Patrick Hughes b. 1939 British The Floating City Oil and collage on panel Signed, titled, editioned and dated “The Floating City / 2/5 / Patrick Hughes / 2026” (en verso) Part pa...
Oil, Panel
Writ on Water by Patrick Hughes
By Patrick Hughes
Located in New Orleans, LA
Patrick Hughes b. 1939 British Writ on Water Oil on panel Signed, titled, and dated “Writ on Water / Patrick Hughes / 2025” (en verso) In Writ on Water, Patrick Hughes transforms...
Oil, Panel
Cannaregio by Patrick Hughes
By Patrick Hughes
Located in New Orleans, LA
Patrick Hughes b. 1939 British Cannaregio Oil on panel Signed, titled and dated “Cannaregio / Patrick Hughes / 2024” (en verso) This intricately detailed, three-dimensional illus...
Oil, Panel
Nature And Culture By Patrick Hughes
By Patrick Hughes
Located in New Orleans, LA
Patrick Hughes b. 1939 British Nature and Culture Signed, dated "Nature and Culture / Patrick Hughes / 2000-2023" Oil on board construction Another success from the artist, Natur...
Oil, Board
Dark Light By Patrick Hughes
By Patrick Hughes
Located in New Orleans, LA
Patrick Hughes b. 1939 British Dark Light Oil on board construction Another success from British artist Patrick Hughes, Dark Light displays a three-dime...
Oil, Board
Himalayan Hues By Patrick Hughes
By Patrick Hughes
Located in New Orleans, LA
Patrick Hughes b. 1939 British Himalayan Hues Oil on board construction Another success from the artist, Himalayan Hues displays a three-dimensional, illusionistic scene for whic...
Oil, Board
Sea Views by Patrick Hughes
By Patrick Hughes
Located in New Orleans, LA
Patrick Hughes b. 1939 British Sea Views Signed, titled and dated “Sea Views / Patrick Hughes / 2017” (en verson) Oil on panel Almost defying definition and description, the artwork of London artist Patrick Hughes explores perspective in a most fascinating and puzzling way. His signature 3-dimensional constructions, dubbed reverspectives, challenge the idea of traditional perspective, instead creating a completely unique visual experience. These constructions appear to move in conjunction with the viewer’s movements, inviting participation and sparking curiosity. Hughes has long been intrigued by ideas of illusion, visual irony and how one can be misled by the familiar. This work, entitled Sea Views, employs an ordinary beach scene punctuated by gallery walls displaying, ironically, more seascapes, including the famous Japanese woodblock print...
Oil, Panel
Florentine by Patrick Hughes
By Patrick Hughes
Located in New Orleans, LA
Patrick Hughes b. 1939 British Florentine Oil on panel Signed, titled and dated “Florentine / Patrick Hughes / 2022” (en verso) “I believe they have an experience, unlike any other, in which they see the impossible happen. And I hope that they then think a bit about why that is. If lookers and seers experience the paradoxical and reciprocal relation between parts of the world and themselves, they get a sense of the flow of life.” - Patrick Hughes, 2014 Another success...
Oil, Panel
Acqua Alta Again by Patrick Hughes
By Patrick Hughes
Located in New Orleans, LA
Patrick Hughes b. 1939 British Acqua Alta Again Oil on panel Signed, titled and dated “Acqua Alta Again / Patrick Hughes / 2017” (en verso) Another success from the artist, Acqua...
Oil, Panel
Stores
By Patrick Hughes
Located in New Orleans, LA
Patrick Hughes b. 1939 British Stores Oil on panel Signed, titled and dated “Stores / Patrick Hughes / 2010” Almost defying definition and description, the artwork of London...
Oil, Panel