Optical box for translucent views

Polyorama Panoptique. P. H. A. Lefort. Portable optical box (4'5 cm diameter) for translucent views. It is a device for domestic use invented by Lemaire in the mid nineteenth century. It was inspired by public Peep Shows. It is a portable box for seeing optical views, with a lens in the front that could be adjusted using a pump. This optical view was translucent and changes in the angle of the light made it possible to alter the images. For example, if the light was directed into the front of the view by means of the small window found on the top of the instrument, the image would be seen as if in daylight. If the light rays entered from behind the image though an opening found at the back of the instrument, the effect is of a nocturnal view.