Glasses in the 18th Century

Portrait of an Old Man with Glasses in His Hands

The original 18th-century painting "Portrait of an Old Man with Glasses in His Hands" is located in the Hermitage (Saint Petersburg, Russia). Its author is Karel van der Pluym. Pay attention: those very "roundies" — glasses in many paintings of this period.

portrait of miniature painter K. Bruni (1709)

The Czech and Slovak Baroque painter Jan Kupecký could not help but depict glasses in the portrait of miniature painter K. Bruni (1709) for obvious reasons. Executing a miniature requires jeweler-like precision, and one cannot do without glasses in this matter. For art lovers: the original painting is located in the National Gallery in Prague.

At the same time, glasses for the nearsighted appear for the first time.

Husband of Adélaïde Labille-Guiard (a daughter of a Parisian haberdasher)

Adélaïde Labille-Guiard had made a brilliant career in art. She, a woman, became a member of the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture in 1782. She constantly received commissions from noble persons thanks to the patronage of the aunt of Louis XVI. Portrait of François André Vincent (1795), more precisely, the portrait of her husband in glasses, painted in 1795. Pay attention: in 18th-century glasses, an innovation appears — temples (side pieces).

In the legacy of the Venetian painter Pietro Longhi, paintings depicting scenes from private life occupy a significant place. As we can see, Venetians often used glasses in everyday life: