Bidspirit auction | gravura

gravura - [PARIS]. General View of the City of Paris for Optical Use . [Paris, chez Basset, rue St-Jacques no. 64, after 1805 (c. 1810)]. Hand-coloured copper-engraved etching ( vue d’optique ); 300 × 450 mm (sheet).  Panoramic bird’s-eye view of Paris with the Seine in front, bridges and the urban fabric beyond; French caption below indicating its intended use with a perspective (optical) viewer. Later issue by Basset, who widely circulated such peep-show views at the turn of the 19th century. Old colour; age-consistent condition.