The Smithsonian Institution's 18th-century peep-show, complete with a collection of 191 intaglio prints, intrigued its audience with visual illusions of depth and atmospheric effects that were achieved with lenses, variations in lighting, and incorporation of different translucent materials. Fascination with optical illusion fostered the invention of optical instruments and toys which prefigured the cinema. The peep-show scenes are composite artifacts composed of intaglio prints, wood, silk fabrics, gauze, and other diverse materials. This paper addresses the conservation problems involving the 191 prints, designed for exhibition in the peep-show, as revealed through the examination and conservation treatment of one of the artifacts from the collection. -- AATA