German, 18th century. An original hand-colored copperplate engraving after Balthasar Friedrich Leizelt. Framed and in overall good condition; measures 18" h x 14.5" h.

Leizelt produced a series of European and American scenic views at a time when pictures of foreign countries and people were popular and designed for use in optical viewers. As is normal for these prints the series title is a mirror image because optical viewers made use of mirrors which reversed the image. The Age of Enlightenment sparked a great interest in science, so that optical toys and devices became a standard form of drawing-room entertainment in the 1700s and 1800s. Light, perspective, and multiple images were cleverly combined to create the illusion of moving pictures [1].

1. "DBQS | International Horizons | Becoming American | Landmarks of American History".