Richard Haas Murals in Homewood by Kristine Condon

Limited supply currently available at HHS for a donation of $35. Contact 708-799-1896 and leave a message for mail order instructions or to have the book delivered locally.

Homewood, Illinois–a village of almost 20,000 just 30 minutes south of Chicago–is home to the largest collection of Richard Haas murals in the world. New York-based Haas, an artist whose use of trompe l’oeil (“fool the eye”) technique leads us to envision a scene that does not exist, began his relationship with the Village of Homewood in the mid-1980s. Over a span of nearly 40 years, Haas and Chicago artist Thomas Melvin have installed and maintained a series of murals in the village depicting themes of community, architecture, transportation, and family. This monograph, researched by Homewood Historical Society board member Dr. Kristine Condon, provides an in-depth study of trompe l’oeil, Haas’ artistic relationship with the village, and a walking tour of Homewood’s 15 Haas murals. Each mural’s history is meticulously researched, complemented with commentary from artisans Haas and Melvin, and photographed with attention to the details that do, in fact, “fool the eye.