“The Magic Lantern” reproduction print – € 300

1764 CHARLES A. PHILIPPE VAN LOO (1705 – 1795)

An adorable painting of a camera obscura poking it’s way into the frame comes to us by way of Van Loo. The subjects are actually the artist’s family, who are overshadowed by the instrument. A fascinating study of perspective and dimension, the painting named, “The Magic Lantern” is rather mis-named. It shows a young boy in the background looking into the lens while embracing the camera, and a little girl in the foreground with her hand on the frame with fingers outside of what would be the natural boundaries of a posed environment.