The Optical Viewer

c. 1793

after Louis Léopold Boilly

(French, 1761–1845)

Culture

France, 18th century

Medium

Chalk-manner etching and engraving

Support

Laid paper

Measurements

Image: 54.7 x 45.1 cm (21 9/16 x 17 3/4 in.); Platemark: 67.5 x 53.3 cm (26 9/16 x 21 in.); Sheet: 72.4 x 54.2 cm (28 1/2 x 21 5/16 in.)

Credit Line

John L. Severance Fund 2001.15

Catalogue raisonné

Inventaire du Fonds Français 4.156.4; Por.& Ber. I (part I) p. 346; Bréton & Zuber 1804E II/II

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Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

Optical devices frequently appear in Louis Léopold Boilly’s work.

Description

In this print, a fashionable woman and a boy look at prints through an optical viewer known as a “zograscope.” This form of entertainment, popularized during the 1700s, was equipped with a concave lens that made images appear three-dimensionally. Special prints called vues d’optiques, or “perspective views,” were designed to enhance the sense of three-dimensionality, creating an immersive experience. Most of the scenes depicted cities or memorable occurrences, allowing the spectator to witness important sites and events from the comfort of their own home.