Île Saint-Louis and Pont de la Tournelle — Basset

An eighteenth-century hand-coloured optical print, offering a detailed panorama of Île Saint-Louis and the Pont de la Tournelle in Paris.

Published by Jean-Baptiste Basset, Paris, c. 1765. Original French title: L'Isle St Louis et le Pont de la Tournelle a Paris.

Vues d'optique were popular prints designed to be viewed through a zograscope, creating an illusion of depth. This print captures the bustling life along the Seine, with boats and figures engaged in daily activities, and features the iconic Notre-Dame Cathedral in the background.

Hand-coloured copperplate engraving. Sheet size approximately 26 × 40 cm. Good condition, with some minor age toning and handling marks consistent with age.