Galerie
Napoléon
- Paris - Collection of the Optical Views

Optical view of the Masquerade at the Ranelagh Gardens in London (England)
XVIIIth century optical view in original watercolors. Original copper plate engraving on laid paper with watermark heightened with watercolor at that time. Circa 1760

18th Century optical view in original watercolors of the Masquerade at the Ranelagh Gardens in London (England)
Free Passepartout (available in 23 shades)
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176018th Century
  • Date : circa 1760
  • Century : 18th Century
  • Period : Louis XV
  • Technique : Strong water etching
  • Paper : Laid paper
  • Publisher : s.n.
  • Passepartout : 50.0 x 65.0 cm
  • Sheet : 35.0 x 52.0 cm
  • Plate : 25.0 x 42.0 cm
  • Inventory N° : FR-03288
600€
(Frame not included)
  • Certificate of authenticity
  • Passepartout included
  • Portfolio exacompta
  • Free shipping costs
  • Shipment within 24H
  • Online tracking

Original title

Vuë du Canal du Batiment Chinois de la Rotunda & Des Jardins de Ranelagh un Jour de Masquarade - A View of the Canal Chinese Building Rotunde in Ranelagh Gardens with Masquarade

Description

XVIIIth century optical view in original watercolors. Original copper plate engraving on laid paper with watermark heightened with watercolor at that time. Circa 1760, depicting a view of the Masquerade at the Ranelagh Gardens in London (England).

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.

Museums & Archives

The Bibliothèque nationale de France owns a copy of this optical view in its collections. For more details on this print please consult the site : Vuë du canal du batiment chinois de la rotunda & des jardins de ranelagh un jour de masquarade - a view of the canal chinese building rotunde in ranelagh gardens with masquarade

Condition report

Good state

This strong water etching is listed in these categories :

Ranelagh Gardens - Chelsea

The Ranelagh Gardens were so called because they occupied the site of Ranelagh House, built in 1688–89 by the Earl of Ranelagh, Treasurer of Chelsea Hospital (1685–1702), immediately adjoining the Hospital. Its actual builder and owner was one Solomon Rieti. Ranelagh House was demolished in 1805.

In 1741, the house and grounds were purchased by a syndicate led by the proprietor of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and Sir Thomas Robinson MP, and the Gardens opened to the public the following year. Ranelagh was considered more fashionable than its older rival Vauxhall Gardens; the entrance charge was two shillings and sixpence.

The centrepiece of Ranelagh was a rococo rotunda, which figured prominently in views of Ranelagh Gardens taken from the river. It had a diameter of 37 metres and was designed by William Jones, a surveyor to the East India Company. The central support housed a chimney and fireplaces for use in winter. From its opening, the Rotunda at Ranelagh Gardens was an important venue for musical concerts. In 1765, the nine-year-old Mozart performed in this showpiece. Canaletto painted the gardens, and painted the interior of the Rotunda twice, for different patrons. The rotunda was closed in 1803 and demolished two years later. The organ was moved to All Saints Church, Evesham.

There was also a Chinese pavilion, which was added in 1750, an ornamental lake and several walks. Ranelagh was a popular venue for romantic assignations.

The Optical View

The Galerie Napoléon is pleased to propose to you this strong water etching printed 264 years ago (around 1760).

As for all the antique prints in our catalogue, this optical view Vuë du Canal du Batiment Chinois de la Rotunda & Des Jardins de Ranelagh un Jour de Masquarade - A View of the Canal Chinese Building Rotunde in Ranelagh Gardens with Masquarade datant de 1760 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 (1760).

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

  • Credit card secured by Paybox, european leader in the online payment (CB, Visa, Eurocard/Mastercard)
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  • Invoice payment (Reserved for european public entities : Museums, National Archives, Ministries, Town Halls ...)

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XVIIIth century optical view in original watercolors. Original copper plate engraving on laid paper with watermark heightened with watercolor at that time. Published by Basset in Paris circa 1780
Optical view of the River Thames in London (England) | XVIIIth century optical view in original watercolors. Original copper plate engraving on laid paper heightened with watercolor at that time. Circa 1770

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Optical view of the Masquerade at the Ranelagh Gardens in London (England)

XVIIIth century optical view in original watercolors. Original copper plate engraving on laid paper heightened with watercolor at that time. Circa 1770
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Optical view of the Rotunda of Ranelagh Gardens in London (England)

XVIIIth century optical view in original watercolors. Original copper plate engraving on laid paper with watermark heightened with watercolor at that time. Circa 1760