Peep show box and Optical Views

These four translucent optical views are part of a set of twelve in the series Viaje óptico por España, published in 1846, of which the museum has eleven. The artist is the Catalan painter Onofre Alsamora. These lithographs were marketed in consecutive parts, as well as the peep show box that was used for viewing. Their size and shape differ from most translucent optical views for family use. The trip opened with a view of the inside of Barcelona Cathedral, followed by eleven other titles that entered spaces of worship, spied on the interiors of private parties or went outside in the walks, squares and natural environments of the city. They were places depicted in great detail and achieved effective image changes by adjusting the incidence of light. Francesc Dalmau's popular Barcelona optician's establishment was one of the selling points of the series and the peep show box.