Magic lantern

The magic lantern is a projection apparatus and consists of a wooden or metal case with a hole and / or lens, a light source is placed in the case: in the 17th century. - a candle or lamp , later - an electric lamp . Images applied to glass plates in a metal, wooden or cardboard frame are projected through the optical system and the hole in the front of the device. The light source can be amplified with a reflector (and later with a lens ). Often equipped with a casing for air circulation. Lanterns using an oil lamp as a light source were supplied with a chimney ^[1] . The optical principle of early magic lights is identical to the principle of a pinhole camera , later lenses and lenses began to be used in them, as the latter were invented. Thus, the magic lantern is the prototype of most modern projection optical devices - a slide projector , epidemioscope , photo enlarger , film projector , etc.

The invention of the “magic lantern” probably belongs to the Dutch scientist Christian Huygens ; Danish mathematician Thomas Walgensten first coined the term Laterna magica and became the main popularizer of the apparatus, traveling with shows around European cities.

Initially, the magic lantern served to entertain princes and nobles . However, he soon became very popular among the common population. ^[2]

In the early period of using the lantern, the organizers of the shows hid the lantern from the eyes of the audience. The images were projected onto puffs of smoke , walls or screens and had a small format due to weak light sources . Often, demonstrators used the so-called “optical boxes” on wheels . Their walls were made of transparent fabric, on which pictures were shown.

By hiding the lantern and projecting images onto puffs of smoke, the demonstrators achieved the effect of the presence of luminous phantasmagoria (from the Greek. Φάντασμα - a ghost and ἀγορεύω - I speak publicly, ^[3] ), which caused an attack of fear among the then spectators and gave the device the name “horror lamp” " . This was facilitated by the use of magic lights by the Jesuits for religious purposes, showing believers the horrors of the underworld .

Rischle's “Philosophical Dictionary” ( 1719 ) ^[2] :

A small car that shows in the dark on a white wall various ghosts and terrible monsters; thus, one who does not know the secret thinks that this is done with the help of magical art.

At the end of the XVIII century, the lantern began to be used for more scientific purposes.

In 1779, Jean-Paul Marat in his speeches used the "solar microscope" - a variant of the magic lantern, which made it possible to project objects in color and movement. ^[2]

In 1838, the representation of the optician Soleil, the father-in-law of Dubosque and the Jesuit abbot Moynaw , which consisted of projecting images explaining the main optical phenomena , was very popular in England . The performance was approved by Dominic Francois Arago and Jean-Baptiste Dumas . ^[2]

In 1848, in England, the Clerk, using a magic lantern, illustrated his lecture course at the Polytechnic Institute. ^[2]

In 1864, some courses at the Sorbonne were accompanied by projections. ^[2]

The most successful magic lantern was in England, where in the second half of the 19th century there were halls where, using special effects, a demonstration of the image from a variety of lenses on clouds of smoke produced by machines was used (hence: “foggy pictures”, “smoke machines”) ^{[ 2]} .

The invention and development of photography contributed to the emergence and mass production of plates with photographic images, partially displacing thus drawn plots. With the advent of cinema, the magic lantern has lost its meaning, laying the foundation for all projection technique. Magic lanterns were preserved only in the music halls as attractions of ombramans or shadow artists . Known in Europe, the shadowman and magician Tryah, was a personal friend of Antoine Lumiere . The slide projector is the closest in terms of operation and design to the magic lantern. ^[2]

Etienne Gaspard Robertson ( fr. Etienne Gaspard Robertson ; 1763 , Liege - 1837 , Paris - a Belgian physicist, magician, one of the most famous demonstrators of phantasmagoria , who first used a special movable projector design - a “phantascope”, which housed devices that allowed you to create primitive animation of the image ^[4] . The magic lantern was put on wheels and could silently move on rails .

Initially, Robertson demonstrated his phantasmagoria on the street of Provence, then near Place Vendome in the old monastery. ^[2]

Spectators climbed into the chapel , which served as an auditorium, along mysterious corridors and monastery ruins. The door, covered with hieroglyphs , led into a gloomy room upholstered in black. The room was dimly lit by a grave lamp . ^[2]

With the help of a magic lantern, Robertson imitated the evocation of ghosts and showed political plays. Highlighting the painted models placed on translucent screens around the ruined monastery chapel, he showed figures of ghosts and skeletons, moved lights on small carts, controlled the flow of light using special blinds , used sound effects, smoke, imitating fog, making a strong impression on his audience.

The newspaper "Esprey de Lois" on the views of Robertson ^[2] :

Robertson pours two glasses of blood, a bottle of sulfuric acid, twelve drops of nitric acid onto a burning roasting pan, and throws two copies of the Journal des Om libre there. Here, little by little, a little deathly pale ghost in a red cap, armed with a dagger, begins to emerge. This is the ghost of Marat; he makes a terrifying grimace and disappears.

With his ideas, Robertson visited St. Petersburg .

Demonstrations were usually held at fairs , exhibitions , variety shows, and could also be held in churches. The session lasted up to 2 hours and was often accompanied by music, stories and reading. Mass production of plates with images led to the standardization of the latter. Texts were attached to the plates, the subject was the most diverse: entertaining, political, social, thereby turning the magic lantern into a media.

The repertoire of magic lanterns on the eve of the invention of cinema was complex and diverse. Along with numerous general educational series, subject lessons, and historical paintings, they showed comic performances, mostly inspired by fairy tales or Narseri Rimes (nursery rhymes). ^[2]

In England, the Robinson Crusoe , all the works of Shakespeare , all the works of Walter Scott were adapted for the magic lantern. ^[2]

In America, illustrations were published for religious hymns, which were projected on the walls of churches.

Sessions of a magic lantern were accompanied, as a rule, by singing and music or were commented by a lecturer or narrator.

The text of magician Albert to the production of “A Dog Jumping Through a Hoop” ^[2] :

In order to completely satisfy you, we took any expenses, and we managed to invite the most famous clown from the Winter Circus with his learned dog, Munito-second. This extraordinary dog ​​jumps through a paper-covered hoop held by its owner. Go ahead, Mr. Muito-second, jump. (Here you need to press a button to display a transparency with a dog jump.) She jumped. Great, you say, but what's so special? That's right ... However, pay attention - the dog with the same success jumps backwards and with this jump restores torn paper in a hoop. One two Three! Look, she hesitates! Hell! This is not easy for her. Jump! Three! (Here the button is pressed to display the transparency in the opposite direction.) The jump took place, the hoop was again pulled with paper.

They were placed on a glass base, manually or in print. Late photographic images were colorized. Among the latter in the XIX century. the Life Model Slides genre was distributed - illustrated stories on certain subjects shot in studios with actors.

Plate formats varied depending on the application.

• At the end of the 18th century, Florian wrote the fable "The Monkey, which features a magic lantern." ^[2]
• In 1817, the magazine “Magic Lantern” or “The Spectacle of St. Petersburg common sellers, craftsmen, and other common industrialists, depicted with the right brush in their current outfit and presented by talking to each other, respectively, to each person and title,” was published in St. Petersburg. The magazine was published in St. Petersburg. P. Petrov in 4 ° and was translated into three languages. ^[five]

• Since July 1878, the monthly magazine “The Magic Lantern” was published “in all fields of generally useful knowledge, intended also for public readings in public classrooms, educational institutions and private homes with the adaptation of foggy pictures, visual experiments and demonstrations for all ages and classes.” Publisher - St. Petersburg. M.P. Smirnov. When publishing, the department worked: "Children's Magic Lantern." ^[five]
• In the story of O. Henry, “The Leader of the Redskins” (1910), Bill says: “We play Indians. Compared to us, the circus is just the sight of Palestine in a magic lantern. ”

• The magic lantern in action is seen in Ingmar Bergman 's film " Fanny and Alexander ."

From the script for the movie "Fanny and Alexander":

"Alexander clearly distinguishes Laterna Magika - the magic lantern. Lacquered metal clearly looms against a white chest of drawers, the brass of the lens shines. He puts his hands on an amazing apparatus, tall and narrow, ending with a small pipe. Alexander opens the box lid under the pipe, takes out a kerosene lamp, raises it The wick lights up with a strong bright flame, Alexander replaces the glass, tightens the wick, pushes the lamp into the drawer and closes the lid - pleasantly spreads around the room immediately the smell of kerosene and heated tin. He turns the device so that the lens looks at the light wallpapers above his bed. Here he is, a magic circle, Alexander turns a screw on the rim, the circle's outline immediately becomes clear and sharp. Next to the magic lantern is a wooden box covered with blue cloth. The lid depicts a family watching Laterna Magicka’s paintings. In public there are old clothes, men’s hair is braided in a pigtail tied with a bow ... "

'' Alexander lifted the lid. There are glass pictures in the box, there are a lot of them, at least twenty. He carefully fishes out one and inserts it into the holder mounted behind the lens. On the wall above Alexander’s bed, a room immediately appears with columns and high windows through which sharp moonlight falls, illuminating a white bed. A young woman lies on the bed in an elegant pose ... The glass picture consists of two plates connected in such a way that they can move independently of each other. Alexander holds the image of the sleeping girl with one hand, and slowly pushes the back plate with the other. And a miracle happens! In the moonlight a transparent figure soars in a white robe to the heels, a pale face glows with an unearthly beauty, in his hand - a star-flickering wand. ''

• Thaumatrop
• Fenakistiskop
• Stroboscope
• Zootrop
• Cinema
• Praxinoscope

• Brockhaus and Efron Small Encyclopedic Dictionary
• Zhivotovsky, Nikolai Petrovich . Magic lantern, its description and use. SPb., 1874
• V. Uraltsev. "Great Lantern" great-grandmother (Russian) // " Soviet photo ": magazine. - 1971. - No. 6 . - p . 42 . - ISSN 0371-4284 .
• Michelson. Dictionary of foreign words.
• Benoit Alexander . The life of an artist. In: K. 1. G. 28. Optical toys
• Hepworth, Thomas Cradock. The book of lantern.— London: Wyman & Sons, 1888. - 278 p. - [1] .
• John A. Hodges. Lantern-slide making and exhibiting. — London: Marshall, Brookes & Chalkley, 1905 .-- 37 p. - [2] .
• Dwight Lathrop Elmendorf. Lantern slides, how to make and color them .-- New York: E. & HT Anthony, 1897. - 69 p. - [3] .
• Gage, Simon Henry. Optic projection, principles, installation, and use of the magic lantern, projection microscope, reflecting lantern, moving picture machine.— New York: Comstock, 1914. - 731 p. - [4] .
• Montgomery Ward. Catalog of magic lanterns, stereopticons, and moving picture machines.— Chicago: Montgomery Ward, 188u. - 40 s. - [5] .
• Georges Sadoul . The General History of Cinema / V. A. Ryazanov. - M.,: "Art", 1958. - T. 1. - 611 p.

• The British Society of The Magic Lantern Society
• "Magic Lantern" (Russian)