Vue d'Optiques or Optical Views

A very decorative and vibrantly coloured group of six optical views depicting harbour scenes from around Europe.
1. Spinolla Palace in Genoa
2. Bremen from the Grand Bridge
3. Minorca from the Fort of St. Philippe
4. The Palace at Genoa
5. Port of Mahon, Minorca
6. Minorca from the port of Mahon

15 x 12

Offered in their original, vibrant colour, these beautiful prospects evoke the importance of harbours and shipping routes to commercial activity in C18th Europe. Each one delineates the architecture, fashions and maritime activity that linked the major trading ports across Europe. Such prints, commonly called Vues d'Optique or, simply, Perspectives, reached the peak of their popularity in cities such as Augsburg and Paris in the middle of the C18th. They were typically horizontal in orientation, firmly engraved with lines of perspective and strongly coloured. Initially they depicted the capital cities of Europe but later, as their popularity increased, the locations became more exotic and embraced towns and cities from around the world. No traveller worth his salt would return from his trip without a collection of such prints to "entertain" his family and friends at home. It was the equivalent of wading through friends' Facebook pages today!