With Day and Night views of the same scene!

[ no author ]

[ Day/Night Vue d'Optique (Perspective View) ] Templum S. Ioannis in Laterano Romae : La Chiesa di S. Giovanni in Laterano di Roma [ Temple of St. John Lateran in Rome ]

[ no place ]: [ no publisher ] 18th century. Approximately 16 3/4 x 12 1/2 inches. Trimmed with thin margins. Thick pasteboard with vue d'optique laid down, then portions of the view and backing board cut out, and hand colored/tinted paper affixed to rear. Some later repairs, overall wear and staining. Loss of added color in many areas (not as strong as it was originally, particularly in the blue sky) but also not surprising given the popularity of the form. Condition on these views when found varies widely, many with margins trimmed to the plate lines, and often with bad color. Good. [26077]


Vue d'optiques(or a perspective views) were hand colored copper engravings which depicted both real and (sometimes wildly) fictional scenes. They were popular in the late 18th century, and provided a fine gentleman's parlor room entertainment. Some were intended mostly for handing around or viewing in a frame on the wall (these typically have a single title at the base of the image) . Others were specifically intended for optical presentations - observers could look through a special optical stand (a zograscope) or other viewer and see the scene (if executed well the image became somewhat three dimensional). A presenter might feed the views one after the other with the viewers lined up to see the spectacle. Often these views have a title at the base which is readable by the viewer, and one at the top in reverse that the maestro could read and present.

We offer here perhaps the most arresting of these optical images - a day/night view. They were an improvement over the simple vue d'optique. Artists took existing vue d'optiques and modified them so that with illumination from the front, they look very similar to a normal print. However, when illuminated from the back in candle-light, they became night-time scenes when well done with a hauntingly realistic feel. Day night views are harder to find both because of the extra work to make them, and the smaller set of views that lent themselves to dramatic differences in light and dark.

This day/night view, "Temple of St. John Lateran in Rome" has the caption printed at the bottom in both Latin and Italian. While well worn, and showing later repairs, it is a good example of the form.

ITEM SOLD