• 7dae0616-c28b-45d5-a3ad-9bc54a10fe75
  • dee1d5ce-dead-4ca6-a050-23cbcb2ebd80
1 7

The Rainbow Collective

Illusion (1918) by Gerda Wegener

Illusion (1918) by Gerda Wegener

311 reviews
Framed or Unframed
Style
Size
$39.99
$39.99
Sale Sold out
Taxes included.
30-day returns Return with Ease
Professionally Framed Ready to hang
FSC-Certified Premium Art Paper
Secure Checkout Secure Payment
Queer owned Support queer artists
Worldwide Delivery Printed Locally

Get your print within 7 days after dispatch

4.96 ★ (311)
Verified

About the Artist

Gerda Wegener was a Danish painter and illustrator whose work turned femininity into theatre, glamour and quiet rebellion. Working between Copenhagen and Paris in the early 20th century, she became known for elegant Art Nouveau and Art Deco women: powdered, poised, sensual and very aware of their own power.

Her most important muse was Lili Elbe, her spouse and one of trans history’s defining figures. Through Gerda’s portraits, Lili was not treated as a secret, but as a woman becoming visible. Their creative partnership gave shape to a world where gender could be styled, performed, softened, exaggerated and made dazzling.

Gerda’s work often carries its queerness in the details: a knowing glance, a private room, a reclining body, a woman looking back instead of looking away. In her lifetime, this was not simply decoration. Her sapphic imagery, erotic illustrations and portraits of Lili pushed against the rules of gender, sexuality and respectability.

Soft, stylish and seductive, Gerda’s art still feels beautifully defiant.

Print Specifications

Where competitors might cut corners, we use premium 200gsm art paper, with a luxurious matte finish.

Our paper is sustainably sourced from Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests.

The Unframed option is print only & arrives trimmed & frame ready

Premium Frame

We believe high-quality prints should be protected and properly displayed.

Our ready-to-hang premium wooden frames, crafted from responsibly sourced oak (or ash for black and white frames) are durable and provide natural elegance that complements a variety of artistic styles.

Featuring unique wood grains for added character, this option is ideal for those seeking to showcase world-class quality artwork:

  • Ready-to-hang: Includes hanging kit, ready to hang directly on the wall.
  • Frame Material: Responsibly sourced oak wood.
  • Frame Color: Natural wood, black, and white, showcasing the distinct wood grain.
  • Frame Measurements: 20mm (0.79") thick and wide, wider than the classic 14mm (0.55") frame.

Standard Frame

We believe high-quality prints should be protected and properly displayed.

For your convenience, the Framed option arrives with print in frame ready to hang on your wall

Handmade

Milled with simple clean lines, each order is handmade by a specialist picture framer

Glaze

UV-blocking, premium acrylic glazes further protects your print from sun and moisture damage

Paper sourcing

The Pine wood is sustainably sourced from Stewardship Council® (FSC) certified forests

Design

Lightweight and robust, with back fixtures, so they arrive ready to hang

Returns & Refunds

We want you to love your new art. If you’re not completely happy, you can return your order within 30 days of delivery.

To start a return, email us at jordan@therainbowcollective.co

Shipping & Delivery

We partner with professional print studios local to you to reduce our environmental impact and deliver faster.

  • Processing time: 1–3 business days
  • Express shipping: 2–4 business days
  • Standard shipping: 4–8 business days

You’ll receive tracking as soon as your order ships.

Illusion is a little masterpiece of self-deception, drawn with a straight face and a wicked grin. Monique is “alone” in bed… except she isn’t, not really. The poem spins a scene where fantasy does the heavy lifting: a silver mirror, a drifting mind, and pleasure that feels so real she forgets there’s nobody there to take a bow. Wegener matches that energy with pure Art Deco cheek. Curled hair, blush cheeks, silk stockings, a bed that looks like it belongs on a theatre set, and a tiny prop on the sheets that turns the whole moment into a private encore.

This piece comes from Les Délassements d’Éros (The Amusements of Eros), where Louis Perceau’s “lascivious sonnets” and Gerda Wegener’s watercolours team up to make desire look glamorous, funny, and slightly scandalous. A perfect pick for anyone who likes their vintage erotica elegant, tongue-in-cheek, and a little too honest about what happens when imagination takes the mic.

View full details

Why people love The Rainbow Collective

4.96 ★ (311)
Verified

30-day returns, no drama.

We want you to love your new art. If you’re not completely happy, you can return your order within 30 days of delivery.

The Timeless Collection

Always Here. Always Queer

The Timeless Collection reintroduces historic queer artists and artworks for today’s homes. These pieces celebrate the beauty, bravery and brilliance of queer creativity across time, making important works more available, more accessible and easier to discover. Because queer art is not a trend. It is a lineage, a language and a legacy worth celebrating.

Size Guide

Use our sizing guides to select the ideal size for your space.

Learn more

4.96 ★ (311)
Verified

Leave a Lasting Impression

Our prints don’t just look beautiful - they feel beautiful. Printed on luxuriously smooth 200gsm matte paper, each piece has a non-reflective finish that brings out rich colours and fine details without glare. The weight and thickness give a gallery-quality feel that makes your walls look instantly elevated.

Framed Prints, Ready to Elevate Your Walls

Skip the hassle and bring art straight to your walls with our premium framed prints. Each framed piece comes ready-to-hang, crafted with durable pine, oak or ash wood frames and protected by crystal-clear, shatterproof plexiglass.

300+ 5* Reviews