Unknown - optic view

Source of the information below: Claude.ai
Two French "views of the eye" by Basset, Paris (18th century)

1. The Procession of the Blessed Sacrament in Vienna. This is a classic French "vue d'optique" (optical print / perspective print), published by Basset, on "rue St. Jacques" in Paris. Basset was one of the great 18th-century Parisian print publishers, specializing in this genre. The title is deliberately printed in reverse at the top ("LA PROCESSION DE LA FESTE DIEU A VIENNE") — this is the characteristic element of vues d'optique, intended to be viewed through a special optical instrument, the zograscope, which used a mirror and lens to create a sense of depth while simultaneously making the reversed title legible again. The image depicts the Procession of the Blessed Sacrament ("Fête-Dieu") in Vienna, Austria, with the famous Plague Column (Pestsäule) on the Graben, surrounded by crowds, clergy, and soldiers along the street. Caption: "19e Vue d'Optique nouvelle... la procession du St. Sacrement, le jour de la feste Dieu, à Vienne, en Autriche."

2. The Fire of the Foire Saint-Germain in Paris (1762) Another optical view, this time of a real and well-documented historical event: "View of the Gate of the Treille of the Fire at the St. Germain Fair in Paris, arrived the night of March 16 to 17, 1762" — the famous fire that destroyed the Foire Saint-Germain (a major Parisian market/fair) on the night of March 16 to 17, 1762. This was an event of sufficient significance in Paris to yield several contemporary prints.