In the 19th century, paper peepshows, also known as tunnel books, were popular in Europe. They are usually a series of accordion-folded illustrated pages with a hole in the middle. Through this hole you can see the voluminous multi-layered colorful composition inside. The first paper peepshows appeared in the 18th century in Germany, the main source of inspiration being theatrical scenery. Later they began to be published in France, England and the USA.

Frozen scenes open before the viewer: historical events, theatrical performances, landscapes, international exhibitions. Paper works are full of various actions that go into the distance, while creating a feeling of depth. One of the first publishers to experiment with 3D printed compositions was the German engraver Martin Engelbrecht. He cut out six frozen theatrical scenes and placed them in a wooden frame.

In England, even before the completion of the Thames Tunnel (1825–1843), in 1835 the first paper peepshows dedicated to this construction were released. It was probably thanks to them that the second name appeared - tunnel books.

And after construction, publications appeared in Germany that allow you to spy on people walking through the new London tunnel. Among the 400 paper peepshows in the Jacqueline and Jonathan Gestetner collection, 60 depict the Thames Tunnel. In 2016, they were all transferred to the Victoria and Albert Museum.

A common theme in French pop-up books was the city life of Paris. For example, Paris by Night (1860) comes with several background sheets. By changing the background, you can change the time of day and see the city during the day and at night. The effect of artificial lighting is achieved thanks to the holes through which light penetrates from the outside.