Fascinating Peep Box Pictures Made of Paper - A Glimpse into the Wide World
News News blog
In the 18th and 19th centuries, peep box pictures made of paper were a popular mass medium that provided people with fascinating insights into distant lands and foreign cultures. As a fairground attraction, peep boxes captivated the curious and had a lasting impact on the perception of the "wide world" among broad sections of the population.
A peep box is a kind of display box with a peephole and lens through which one can look at artfully designed peep box pictures made of paper. Through perspective representation and lighting, a fascinating 3D effect is created. The motifs were diverse: views of European landmarks such as St. Peter's Basilica in Rome or Westminster Bridge in London, as well as exotic scenes from far-off countries and mythological and biblical representations.
The peep box pictures were often made as colored etchings on transparent paper. Backlighting with candles created a glow that further enhanced the spatial effect. To perfect the three-dimensional illusion, perspective and lines were particularly emphasized. Windows and prominent lines were cut out and backed with transparent paper.
Peep box owners and presenters traveled the country with their boxes and offered their shows at fairs and folk festivals. For a small fee, one could take a look through the lens and immerse oneself in another world. The Guckkästner often commented on the pictures with anecdotes and stories, providing additional entertainment.
The appeal of the peep box pictures lay primarily in the fact that most people otherwise had little opportunity to marvel at colorful pictures. Otherwise, pictures were only seen in churches and palaces. Through the peep box, anyone could now catch a glimpse of fascinating motifs from all over the world and get an idea of distant lands and cultures. The fascination lay in the mixture of magical illusion and the depiction of real places.
