The Optical Viewer
1793
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1793
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
A woman and a boy lean over a wooden box, peering at prints through a lens. The room is dim, lit by a single candle. This box is a zograscope, a gadget from the 1700s that made flat pictures look deep. People used it like an early 3D movie—cities and big events popped off the paper. The prints were called *vues d’optiques*, designed to trick the eye. If you like this, look up *france, 18th century* for more of these playful illusions.
