Original title
VUE DE LA NOUVELLE DECORATION DE LA FOIRE St. GERMAIN - Un Prince bienfaisant pour récréer Paris, A rétabli ce lieu, digne sejour des Ris.
Mentions
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 Le Bel in Paris circa 1750, depicting a view of Foire Saint-Germain - Paris (France).
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 : Vue de la nouvelle decoration de la foire st. germain - un prince bienfaisant pour récréer paris, a rétabli ce lieu, digne sejour des ris.
Condition report
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The first mention of this fair dates from 1176; it would have existed until the 13th century. It was held in the vicinity of the Abbey of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, at least in the early days. In 1482, King Louis XI granted the monks of the abbey the right to hold a frank fair every year. A hall was built in 1511, which could accommodate several hundred merchants, among whom were notably goldsmiths, cabinetmakers and fabric merchants. The peak of the fair dates back to the 17th century. It usually lasted three to five weeks, around Easter.
In exchange for the payment of the sum of two ecus, the entrepreneurs received the right to present shows. The first actors whose names we know are Jehan Courtin and Nicolas Poteau who, in 1595, entertained the Parisian public to such an extent that the actors of the Hôtel de Bourgogne sued them. Later, puppet players, rope dancers and animal trainers enjoyed the fair.
Shortly after a fire struck the Saint-Germain fair on the night of March 16 to 17, 1762. The fair was then ravaged by flames and fell into ruins. It was rebuilt in 1763. A short comic show was held on the balcony of the Nicolet theater, to encourage passers-by to buy tickets.
The Galerie Napoléon is pleased to propose to you this strong water etching printed 274 years ago (around 1750).
As for all the antique prints in our catalogue, this optical view VUE DE LA NOUVELLE DECORATION DE LA FOIRE St. GERMAIN - Un Prince bienfaisant pour récréer Paris, A rétabli ce lieu, digne sejour des Ris. datant de 1750 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 (1750).
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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