June 2nd, 2010 -- by Bacchus
Peep Show
Here’s another one of those bits of venerable art that I don’t fully understand. My first thought was that we were looking at some sort of field-expedient glory hole affair, but upon second perusal, it looks more like a peep show for the ladies:
All I know about this is that it’s by an artist called Henri Monnier.
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Shorter URL for sharing: https://www.erosblog.com/?p=5094
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I wonder if they had to pay a few coins to get another peek after he offered the first one for free.
In the mid-eighteen hundreds, pictures were still the reserve of the rich – either in original art or prints. The public would pay to see sets of pictures of far-awy places, famous people, fearsome beasts, monsters, (or porn, of course). To capitalise on this market, street vendors set up viewing boxes similar to that shown. Inside the box was a mechanism for changing the print on view with a slide/shutter system controlled from outside the box by the operator – note the operator in this print has a string in his hand which would likely control a shutter in front of the viewing port. Lighting was usually from the top though some boxes had candles or oil lamps for use at night.
With suitable oratory and salesanship the operator would entice customers to see the wonders in the box, and by varying the viewing sequence and viewing time could maximize the curiosity and anticipation of the potential audience. Obviously, risque prints could spice up a show and increase the draw – particularly if not every customer saw the same images, or only caught a glimse…
Here, as well as being risque in itself, this print is humourous: the operators member is part of the show, ie so far beyond what is normally offered as to be farciful, as is the Matron’s behaviour. In that time one had more chance of seeing a ladies nipples than her ankles! The two young ladies behind know something is up – the governess (in the mob cap) and older sister are blocking the view of the youngest clamouring to see what is happening. Mother, supported by her companion squats with her skirts hiked up with more than a suggestion that her hand is busy. At the time, that part of the image likeky had more impact than the operator’s naked and rampant member.
Looks like those Puppetry of the Penis guys, are not to original.
Thank you Peter Grimm. You have helped me in my “learn something new each day” task. :)