Rigaud, Jacques "The THEATRE of WATER in the Garden of Versaills [sic]"

Jacques Rigaud. "The THEATRE of WATER in the Garden of Versaills [sic]."

London: Robert Wilkinson, 1780+.  8 5/8 x 16. Engraving by John Couse.  Trimmed to image at top and sides; mounted on fabric.  Later hand color. Else, very good condition.

In the style of 18th and early 19th century vues d'optique, with a descriptive narrative in both English and French and brilliant hand color, this handsome engraved view of one of the gardens of Versailles with its multiple fountains is a lovely depiction of the famous palace's many attractions.

A perspective view, or vue d’optique, is a special type of popular print published in England and on the continent during the eighteenth century.  These prints were a form of entertainment meant to be seen through devices called “optical machines,” “optiques,” or “peepshows,” often by candlelight, hence the need for bright hand color.