Unattributed "Vue de l'Amphithéatre pour la Promenade Public à l'Isle Kamannoi Ostrow sur la petite Newa près de Saint Petersbourg app'le a M. de Comtesse de Bestoucheff" [St. Petersburg, Russia]

Unattributed.  "Vue de l'Amphithéatre pour la Promenade Public à l'Isle Kamannoi Ostrow sur la petite Newa près de Saint Petersbourg app'le a M. de Comtesse de Bestoucheff." [St. Petersburg, Russia].  Paris: Daumont, ca. 1750-1800.  Approx.  10 x 15 (image).  Engraving.  Original hand color.  Backed on wove paper as issued. Some wear in top third of image; scattered light spots. Else, good condition.  Perspective views, or vues d'optiques, are a special type of popular print published in Europe during the eighteenth century. These prints were a form of entertainment meant to be seen through devices called "optical machines," "optiques," "zograscopes" or "peepshows."  The prints were exhibited by traveling showmen in the streets throughout Europe and also were collected by those in the professional and upper classes who had the optical machines at home. There was a great curiosity about the appearance of unvisited European cities and exotic locations in the further reaches of the globe