Galerie
Napoléon
- Paris - Collection of the Optical Views

Optical view of Mons (Belgium)
XVIIIth century optical view in original watercolors. Original copper plate engraving on laid paper with watermark heightened with watercolor at that time. Published by Jacques Chéreau in Paris circa 1780

18th Century optical view in original watercolors of Mons (Belgium)
Free Passepartout (available in 23 shades)
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178018th Century
  • Date : circa 1780
  • Century : 18th Century
  • Period : Louis XVI
  • Technique : Strong water etching
  • Paper : Laid paper
  • Publisher : Jacques Chéreau
  • Place of publication : Paris
  • Passepartout : 50.0 x 65.0 cm
  • Sheet : 33.0 x 45.0 cm
  • Plate : 28.0 x 39.0 cm
  • Inventory N° : FR-03142
500€
(Frame not included)
  • Certificate of authenticity
  • Passepartout included
  • Portfolio exacompta
  • Free shipping costs
  • Shipment within 24H
  • Online tracking

Original title

VEV DE LA VILLE DE MONS EN FLANDRE

Mentions

A Paris chez J. Chereau rue St Jacques au dessus de la Fontaine St Severin n° 257

Description

XVIIIth century optical view in original watercolors. Original copper plate engraving on laid paper with watermark heightened with watercolor at that time. Published by Jacques Chéreau in Paris circa 1780, depicting a view of Mons (Belgium).

During the 18th Century, several renowned establishments in Paris, London (England), Augsburg (Germany) and Bassano (Italy) were specialized in the creation of these optical views. They could be viewed alone or through a zograscope, a wooden foot surmounted by a lens which enlarged the image and accentuated the perspective effect. They could also be placed in optical boxes, the spectator then looked inside the box through the lens. This distraction was greatly appreciated in the 18th Century in the salons of the bourgeoisie and the nobility as in the countryside thanks to the hawkers.

These etchings are nowadays exhibited in museums around the world and extremely appreciated by collectors and decorators for their historical interest and their high decorative value.

Condition report

Good state

This strong water etching is listed in these categories :

Mons

From 1701 to 1713, France again occupied the town of Mons (War of the Spanish Succession). The Treaties of Utrecht and Rastatt bring the city into the fold of the Habsburgs of Austria. The fortress is however controlled by troops of the United Provinces.

In 1718, the power, represented by the sovereign court of Hainaut, leaves the castle which, for lack of maintenance, deteriorates. The site was leveled in the 19th century, only the Saint-Calixte chapel (13th century), the concierge and the belfry being preserved.

In 1747, Louis XV conquered the city and kept it until 1748, where it was returned to Empress Marie-Thérèse by the Treaty of Aachen (1748) which ended the War of the Austrian Succession. Prince Charles-Alexandre de Lorraine, brother-in-law of the empress, is appointed governor of the Netherlands while his sister, princess Anne-Charlotte, is appointed abbess of the chapter of the collegiate church of Sainte-Waudru.

In 1787 , the Brabant Revolution occurs, in rejection to reforms taken from 1780, by the emperor Joseph II which strike the administration, justice, taxation, customs. The States General met on January 7, 1790 in Brussels.

The act of union which unites and confederates the insurgent provinces, including Hainaut, was ratified on January 20, 1790 by all the States of the insurgent provinces, except those of Limburg, under the name of United Belgian States.

Due to financial problems, the United Belgian States cannot resist the return of Austrian troops, and at the end of 1790, the Austrian imperial army regains power in the name of the emperor Leopold II.

The Optical View

The Galerie Napoléon is pleased to propose to you this strong water etching printed 244 years ago (around 1780).

As for all the antique prints in our catalogue, this optical view VEV DE LA VILLE DE MONS EN FLANDRE datant de 1780 is dispatched worldwide within 24H in a Secured packaging, accompanied by its certificate of authenticity guaranteeing the name of the artists (draughtsman, engraver, editor), the impression process used (Strong water) and its date (1780).

In order to guarantee a perfect conservation in time, this strong water etching is dispatched, ready to be framed, under museum quality color passepartout (manufactured without acid in the pulp for a neutral pH) on a cream mountboard made from carton bois (also acid free & neutral pH), in a luxurious portfolio.

History of the Optical views

At the apogee of the mode for optical views, between 1750 and 1790, four European cities specialized in their edition: Paris (France), London (England), Augsburg (Germany) and Bassano (Italy).

Optical views are prized in very different social circles : pleasant recreation in aristocratic salons, the views are admired in beautiful and richly decorated optical boxes which are real works of art. The show was transformed into a real scientific experiment. But the optical views also entertained the people who were in a hurry when a hawker set up a box on a market and began to narrate the extraordinary events that had taken place in a more or less distant and inaccessible country.

There are three categories in the production of optical views.

  • Topographic views: Cities, Monuments, Ports, Distant regions, reproduced with more or less accuracy, depending on the documents available to the engraver. It is obvious that the authors of these prints had not seen these territories. They therefore recomposed these landscapes by compiling various engravings and drawings, which explains many fantasies.
  • The historical scenes : Inaugurations, Coronations, Battles, Fires or Natural disasters form a subject that the people are fond of.
  • Views with a religious or moralizing theme. For educational value, these prints were mainly produced by Parisian publishers in the rue Saint-Jacques.

Our Guarantee

With more than 20 years experience and a catalogue of more than 40.000 antique prints, drawings and historical documents dating from the 14th to the 19th century, the Galerie Napoléon, parisian antique dealer's gallery, is one of the world references in the field of antique prints,etchings and antique graphic arts.

In addition to thousands of impassioned of antique prints throughout the world, the Galerie Napoléon is honoured to count among its customers : national archives, museums, historical monuments and important home designer companies. All attracted by the extraordinary diversity of its catalogue and the quality and speed of its services.

This experience allows us to guarantee to each one of our customers the authenticity of the antiques in our catalogue and the shipment of their orders within 24 hours.

Free customization

Customize for free the color of your museum quality bevel cut edge passepartout (acid free & neutral pH) among a color chart of 23 shades.
This option will be offered to you free of charge in the cart.

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Secured shipment

All our antiques can be shipped worldwide. The orders are dispatched within 24H in a secured packaging.

The Galerie Napoléon offers free shipping for all orders over 50EUR for France, 70EUR for all EU destinations and 90EUR for worldwide destinations.

For orders below these amounts, the shipping costs are 8EUR for France, 12EUR for all EU destinations and 17EUR for worldwide destinations.

Secured payment

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