Magic Shadows: The Story of the Origin of Motion PicturesQuigley, Martin
History
Magic Shadows: The Story of the Origin of Motion Pictures
Quigley, Martin
Lantern projection; Motion pictures -- History
Molyneux devoted a whole section to “The Explication of the Magick
Lantern, sometimes called Lanterna Megalographica” (that last was one
of the names Kircher gave to it). Molyneux scientifically described
a good model featuring a metal lantern and adjustable lenses. He
explained that the pictures to be shown were painted with transparent
colors on pieces of thin glass which were inverted and placed in the
projector. His comment on the type of picture is entertaining: “This is
usually some Ludicrous or frightful Representation, the more to divert
the Spectators.” “Horror” pictures--and comedies--were born centuries
before Hollywood.
Also discussed were focusing lenses, glass and concave mirrors,
adjustments in the picture focus, the throw from projector to the
screen.
However, Molyneux wished to keep strictly on the scientific and
scholarly side saying, “As to the Mechanick Contrivances of this
Lantern, the most Convenient Proportion of the Glasse, etc. this is
so ordinary amongst the common Glass Grinders that ’tis needless to
insist further thereon in this place. ’Tis sufficient to me that I have
explained the theory thereof.”
At the end of the volume there was an advertisement--it was noted that
all the instruments mentioned “are made and sold by John Yarwell at the
Archimedes and Three Golden Prospects, near the great North Door in St.
Paul’s Church-Yard: London.” This makes John Yarwell the first recorded
commercial dealer in the magic shadow science.
In addition to Schott, Milliet de Chales, Zahn and Molyneux, many
travelling showmen such as Walgenstein, the Dane, introduced the magic
lantern and its magic shadow shows in great cities and little hamlets
of Europe. Some were professional entertainers, accepting the projector
as a new device; others were the “vagabonds and imposters,” of the
type condemned by Kircher. This group recognized no law and copied and
appropriated the magic lantern projector whenever opportunity presented
itself. There was no copyright or other protection to restrain them. By
the early part of the 18th Century the magic lantern was commonplace
and many men were skilled in its use.
_VIII_
MUSSCHENBROEK AND MOTION
_Magic shadows move in the projector of
Musschenbroek, a Dutchman--Quest for real
“motion pictures” continues--Abbé Nollet
spins a top--Lantern shows in Paris and
London become spectacular._
Not long after Kircher’s death his magic lantern projector was in
use everywhere in Europe but the apparatus did not do all that was
desired. The goal of motion pictures was still around a corner.
Pieter van Musschenbroek (1692–1761), a Dutch natural philosopher and
mathematician, was the first to successfully simulate motion with the
aid of the projector and glass slides.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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