Claude glass

A claude glass is a special kind of mirror that people used to carry around with them a long time ago. It is named after the painter Claude Lorrain, who used to use a small piece of dark glass to help him see and paint his landscapes better.

So, imagine you are playing with your toy car and you want to see the car's reflection in a mirror. When you hold the mirror, you see not only the car but also everything behind you.

Now take a piece of glass, make it dark (like sunglasses), and shape it in the form of a small rectangle or oval. When you look into it, you will see only what's in front of you through it, and the glass will reflect the colors around you, making everything look darker and more contrasted.

If you happen to be looking at a beautiful landscape, the claude glass will help you see it in a more dramatic way, almost like a painting. People of the old days liked to carry this special mirror with them, especially when they went to beautiful places to enjoy the view or paint it.