Bizarre illusion has people wondering if this is a real photo of a dog or a beautiful oil painting

Believe it or not, optical illusions lie hidden in everyday life. Try staring at a pattern for too long, and you will likely find your brain struggling to understand. Similarly, a Reddit user (u/PhattWalda) discovered a brilliant vision spectre that transformed their pet dog into a million-dollar painting. In a photo captured by the person, a small dog is seen standing near the window sill that appears more like an age-old oil painting meant to be featured on the walls of a historic museum. “I snapped a photo of my dog through a window screen that looks like an old painting,” the viral post, which received about 97,000 votes, was captioned.

The pet dog, perfectly framed within the windowsill, looked almost unreal as he shone under the golden sunlight spotlighting him. The heavenly effect of the natural lighting, paired with a dark background, as the photo was clicked from outside the house, makes it appear as though some famous painter was inspired to paint one fine day. The extraordinary snap was a hit among viewers on the platform. Several people rushed to comment and reflect on the photograph. Someone (u/2Spirits) wrote, “This might be the most accidental Renaissance picture I've ever seen. I expect to see it on the front page there tomorrow.”

A person (u/accidentallysexual) attempted to explain the picture’s texture, “I think it's because OP is outside where it's sunny, so the inside looks super dark. Then the dog is standing directly in the sunbeam through the screen and the effect is ridiculously DaVinci-esque.” Another (u/carmex2121) noted, “Hard to believe it is not a painting. The window screen makes it look like a canvas, and the lighting is just perfect.” A third fan (u/NamityName) admired, “Not to mention the many different shades of black that old oil paintings seemed to love.” A commenter also suggested the photo owner get the picture commissioned. 

However, the reality was far from anything like the photo. The Reddit user said that their pet dog, which was part Chihuahua, part Mini Pin, part Boston terrier, had unfortunately passed away young. "This sweet dog died young from cancer... and this photo perfectly encapsulates his soul. I'm so glad y'all like it,” the person mentioned in one of the replies to the comments. She acknowledged the overwhelming response from the internet and was in disbelief and “deeply touched” that thousands of people enjoyed the photo of their “sweet dog.” Stunned by how the photo resonated with so many people, the Reddit user later told Newsweek, “It's funny how a simple iPhone camera, some autumn light, and a screened window can capture the beauty of animals and life.”

The Reddit user also deciphered what caused the photograph to resemble an old oil painting. "To answer some questions: I took this from the outside, and the dog is standing inside, on the back of a couch that's butted up against the window,” they explained, adding that the tree in the top pane are a reflection of the outside. Marking her dear pet dog as “hell on wheels”, they revealed, “And yes -- I have framed this already -- but I haven't made it into a painting yet."  Happy that their dog was now immortal on the internet, the user expressed gratitude for the kind strangers online.