Vue Optique #4 Le Palais des Tuileries 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 is a dreamlike scape of small fashionably-dressed figures strolling around the Court of the Palace des Tuileries. I love the little dogs playing, and the men carrying someone who was too lazy to walk in a litter. The costumes date this to earlier rather than the late 18th century. This is in slightly damaged condition, there is a corner missing (it hasn’t touched the picture though) and a watermark in the centre of the picture. But it remains charming, with soft colours and a kind of otherworldly quality.

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