Marrin's Bookshop

Synopsis

Die haupt stadt in der nord-americanischen provinz pensylvanien, sie ist vom william penn (dem caroll ii könig in engelland, die ganze provinz geschencket hatte) im jahr 1682. zwischen 2e. schiffreichen flüssen angelegt und deswegen philadelphia genen, net worde, weil die einwohner in brüderlicher einigkeit daselbt lebe sollen. text also in french = philadelphia, the capital city of the north american state of pensylvania (king charles ii of england gave him the entire state) was founded in 1682 between two navigable rivers and called philadelphia, because its inhabitants should live in brotherly love.

Item Description

HAND COLOURED ENGRAVED PRINT. 18.5 x 13 inches.

Illustrations

Engraved by Balth. Frederic Leizelt

Notes

The vues d'optiques were perspective views produced in France in the second half of the eighteenth into the nineteenth centuries, although this example was produced in Augsburg. They were characterised by strong horizontal lines and the use bright hand colouring. They were designed to be imaged through a zograscope, a mirrored viewer with a lens, hence the use of mirror writing in the titles. In general those of the New World did not provide accurate representations of the locations portrayed. which tended to be based on the European cities familiar to artists. This is an entirely imaginary view of the harbour at Philadelphia. European interest in the signing of the Declaration of Independence in the city in 1776 would have created a market for the sale of prints of North American subjects.