Fireworks at Hôtel de Ville, Paris, Pl. 61 — French School

An exhilarating eighteenth-century hand-coloured optical print, capturing a spectacular fireworks display before the Hôtel de Ville in Paris.

French School. Vue d'un Feu d'Artifice tiré devant l'Hotel de Ville en réjouissance de la Paix. Published in Paris, c. 1770s. Plate No. 61.

This print commemorates a celebration of peace, a common theme for public festivities in eighteenth-century Europe. Such vues d'optique were popular for their dramatic perspective and vibrant colours, designed to be viewed through optical devices for an enhanced sense of depth.

Hand-coloured copperplate engraving. Sheet size approximately 27 × 54 cm. Very Good.