Perspective Box

The perspective box, Dutch box, or peepshow is an optical device that enables an artist to create a convincing illusion of an interior or, more rarely, an exterior, space. Using a complex perspectival construction, the four inside walls of a wooden box are painted to simulate the space and the scene is then viewed through a carefully positioned eyehole. The eye is deceived into believing that it is really the inside of a larger physical room.

The peepshow was popular among Dutch 17th-century artists, reflecting a fascination with perspectival and optical devices.

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