The "Magic" of Sacred Spaces
Introduction: The "Magic" behind the Lanterns and the Glass Slides
Panels
Introduction: The "Magic" behind the Lanterns and the Glass SlidesSacred Spaces: AustriaSacred Spaces: BelgiumSacred Spaces: CanadaSacred Spaces: EnglandSacred Spaces: FranceSacred Spaces: GermanySacred Spaces: ItalySacred Spaces: SpainDutch scientist Christiann Huygens is credited with inventing the Magic Lantern in the mid 1600s. An early form of projector, magic lanterns operated by using a concave mirror and a light source, which then projected scenes from glass sides onto a wall, or perhaps even a sheet.
In the early days, the light sources used were either candles, or oil lamps, not the most illuminating of mediums, for the lanterns or the audiences. However, the invention of electricity proved a game changer for the magic lantern as the bright and vivid images wowed audiences and turned the medium into a popular mechanism for use in a variety of settings.
Wildly popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, Magic Lantern shows ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous. Audiences from this time-period are not so different from today – they wanted to be entertained. Victorian era audiences, with their love of all things gothic, delighted in the macabre, and shows known as Phantasmorgoria, a precursor to today’s horror movie, became popular entertainment.
For the shows that fell on the more sublime side, the subject matter focused on science, nature, art, travel and religion. Churches and religious organizations used magic lanterns shows as tools for evangelization, education, and even entertainment in the form of biblical stories for children.
The slides themselves were made of glass. In the early days the images were hand painted onto the slide. As the medium of photography progressed however, positive transparent photographs began to be used. The growing popularity of magic lantern shows and photography translated into a plethora of companies springing up that specialized in the manufacturing of equipment, film and glass lantern slides.
The George W. Bond Slide Co. of Chicago Ill. were the manufacturers of the slides showcased in this exhibition. Active in the early years of the 20th century, they specialized in slides on biblical subjects, travel, agriculture, and science to name a few. The slides featured here depict sacred spaces, mostly throughout Europe. Although none are dated, they seem to depict these sacred spaces during the early days of the 20th century.
In the early days, the light sources used were either candles, or oil lamps, not the most illuminating of mediums, for the lanterns or the audiences. However, the invention of electricity proved a game changer for the magic lantern as the bright and vivid images wowed audiences and turned the medium into a popular mechanism for use in a variety of settings.
Wildly popular in the late 19th and early 20th century, Magic Lantern shows ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous. Audiences from this time-period are not so different from today – they wanted to be entertained. Victorian era audiences, with their love of all things gothic, delighted in the macabre, and shows known as Phantasmorgoria, a precursor to today’s horror movie, became popular entertainment.
For the shows that fell on the more sublime side, the subject matter focused on science, nature, art, travel and religion. Churches and religious organizations used magic lanterns shows as tools for evangelization, education, and even entertainment in the form of biblical stories for children.
The slides themselves were made of glass. In the early days the images were hand painted onto the slide. As the medium of photography progressed however, positive transparent photographs began to be used. The growing popularity of magic lantern shows and photography translated into a plethora of companies springing up that specialized in the manufacturing of equipment, film and glass lantern slides.
The George W. Bond Slide Co. of Chicago Ill. were the manufacturers of the slides showcased in this exhibition. Active in the early years of the 20th century, they specialized in slides on biblical subjects, travel, agriculture, and science to name a few. The slides featured here depict sacred spaces, mostly throughout Europe. Although none are dated, they seem to depict these sacred spaces during the early days of the 20th century.
