Tapestry

A tapestry showing a child with an peep show box. The peep show box was, in essence, a travelling show that toured fairs and markets, squares and public spaces throughout Europe, as did other types of shows at the time: jugglers, theatrical performances, storytellers, fortune tellers, and so on. That is, a whole series of people who made a living from travelling shows. They were people who had probably had to emigrate from their place of origin – it is known that many came from mountain areas – and were forced to travel to towns and cities to earn the money they could not get at home. They were poor people, who travelled burdened down with the peep show box and views, on bad and sometimes dangerous roads. They travelled hundreds of miles, slept where they could and often had to deal with hostility from the authorities. But the fairground entertainer also had to be imaginative and ingenious. It took talent to attract the audience and entertain them with explanations and comments on the views that were offered inside the box.