The Optical Viewer, c. 1794. Based on a portrait painted in 1793, The Optical Viewer depicts Antoine Danton with his stepmother Sébastienne-Louis Gély, recently wed to Revolutionary leader Georges-Jacques Danton. They browse through a stack of large prints using a novelty device that reflects and magnifies the images, possibly as a fun way to enhance their sense of depth perception.

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Size: 3552px × 4729px
Photo credit: © Heritage Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 18th, art, cazenave, century, cleveland, engraving, etching, france, french, fréderic, museum, print