The Magic Lantern
The word Magic is derived from the Persian “Magoi” from the nomadic tribe of experts in everything concerning the gods. This nomadic tribe specialized in accessing the invisible. In 1656, Christian Huygens, a noted Dutch Astronomer and mathematician devised the oldest extant instrument for projecting pictures painted on glass slides. Later a Dutch Physicist Tomas Rasmussen Walgenstein who demonstrated the device gave it it’s name “ Magic lantern” The first device consisted of a candle and a concave mirror inside a lantern that had a tube with a lens at each end. A slot in the tube allowed for the slide to be fitted for projection.
Historical references to the Magic Lantern
The Magic Lantern Robert Hale American 1794 , "This optical machine consists of many excellent views of different countries both at home and abroad, with many of the prinicipal towns, cities, castles in Europe." Cambridge, Massachusetts, Harvard University Collection of historical Scientific Instruments.
Phantasmagoria " La lanterne magique" Jean Ouvrier, French (1725-84) Getty Research Institute.
Early Theatre "the magic lantern" Louis Leópold Boilly, French (1761-1845) Paris, GillesPanhard collection.
The "Sermon" "Fantasmagorie de Robertson dans la cour des capuchins en 1797" Etienne Gaspard Robertson ( French 1763-1831) Paris Libraire Encyclopédique de Roret.