The Sense of Sight, Philippe Mercier (1747)
Similar to The Sense of Hearing, this scene features three young women and a boy sitting with their tutor by a parapet outdoors, symbolizing the sense of sight through optical tools. The gentleman uses a magnifying glass to examine a map of the east coast of Spain and the islands of Mallorca and Menorca, likely explaining their geographical and political importance to Britain to the girl next to him. Meanwhile, the other two girls look through a telescope on the left and tilt a small mirror on the right. In the foreground, the boy bows his head, choosing not to look at anything.
Discover more Old Masters in the following collections: