The Optical Viewer

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.

Provenance

(Susan Schulman Printseller, New York, NY, sold to The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH) (?–2001); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (March 5, 2001–)

The Optical Viewer

Frédéric Cazenave

c. 1793

Accession Number

2001.15

Medium

Chalk-manner etching and engraving

Dimensions

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.)

Classification

Print

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

John L. Severance Fund