Vue Optique #1 - Les Cascades du Château de St. Cloud c.1760

Vues optiques were all the rage in Europe from around 1740 until the first decade of the 19th century. They were strictly-drawn perspective engravings, hand-coloured, showing famous landscapes or monuments or interiors of the time. Whilst they could be viewed as-is, they were specifically created to be used with one of two special viewers, either called a boîte optique, or a zograscope, which resembled a large lens with a mirror mounted on a stand. When viewed through one of these contraptions, the carefully-thought-out perspective view would take on a three-dimensional view, with a foreground and little figures coming to the front whilst the central vanishing-point appeared off in the distance.

This one is an earlier example, showing the fountains of the Château of St. Cloud, which was purchased in the later part of this century (probably after this vue was made) for Marie Anotinette. The Château itself was destroyed in the Franco-Prussian war, so here is a view of a place that no longer exists, drawn by someone who must have studied it carefully in-situ.

This is in very good condition. One corner has been nibbled, and I mean nibbled, I think it has been done by mice, but the damage hasn’t touched the picture. It measures 51x33.5cm. These look fab framed up.

Please click on the photos to open them up full-sized.

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