Posts

Showing posts from January, 2023

Kaleidophone 1827 - precursors of film and movie

Image
The kaleidophone, invented in 1827 by Charles Wheatstone, is a unique device that has been of interest to many people over the years. In this article, we will examine the history and workings of the kaleidophone and its relationship to the development of visual media. The kaleidophone is a "philosophical toy" that produces moving optical figures. There are several different versions of the device, but in all cases, a slender rod is fixed at one end and has a shiny bead attached to the other end. As the rod vibrates, the spot is seen to describe Lissajous curves in the air, like a spark whirling about in the darkness. The name "kaleidophone" was derived from the kaleidoscope, an optical toy invented in 1817 by David Brewster. Wheatstone's photometer, which compares the brightness of two lights, was likely inspired by the kaleidophone. The photometer uses a silvered bead to direct light reflections into parallel lines. In conclusion, the kaleidophone is an interes...

Thaumatrope 1825 - precursors of film and movie

Image
The Thaumatrope is a simple optical toy that was invented in the early 19th century and played a significant role in the development of the film and movie industry. It consists of a disk with a picture on each side that is attached to two pieces of string. When the strings are twisted, the disk spins, and the two images appear to merge into one. This simple illusion was one of the first demonstrations of persistence of vision and helped lay the foundation for the development of motion pictures. Invented by John Ayrton Paris in 1825, the Thaumatrope quickly became a popular toy in Europe and the United States. Its popularity was due to its demonstration of persistence of vision, which is the idea that the human eye retains an image for a short period after it has disappeared. This principle was crucial to the development of many early optical toys, including the zoetrope and flip book. The zoetrope was a cylindrical device with a series of sequential images placed around the inside surf...

Polyorama Panoptique 1822 - precursors of film and movie

Image
The National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) has recently obtained a Polyorama Panoptique from Paris, part of the series of "optical toys" developed between 1820 and 1850. These toys entertained and educated families with their play on light, shadows, and color, displaying cityscapes and landscapes in new ways. They were seen as forerunners to film, being sold as souvenirs to audiences who flocked to auditoriums to view life-sized dioramas. These optical devices were prevalent during the Victorian era and were among the optical gadgets and curiosities that adorned parlors, including zoetropes, praxinoscopes, flipbooks, and phenakistoscopes. The Polyorama Panoptique, patented by Pierre Henri Armand Leford in 1849, is made up of a wooden frame with copper joints and paper bellows for changing the viewer's perspective. The NFSA's Polyorama Panoptique was accompanied by five meticulously detailed colored lithographic paper slides showcasing scenes from London and Paris, suc...

Kaleidoscope 1817 - precursors of film and movie

Image
The kaleidoscope, invented in 1817 by Scottish scientist David Brewster, was one of the earliest devices that showcased the principles of animation and moving images. While it may seem like a simple toy, the kaleidoscope was a major stepping stone in the development of modern cinema and film. In this article, we will explore the history of the kaleidoscope and how it laid the foundation for the film and movie industry we know today. The kaleidoscope, which is a tube filled with mirrors and colorful pieces of glass or other objects, creates a mesmerizing and constantly changing display of patterns and shapes. When the tube is rotated, the light entering through a small aperture reflects off of the mirrors, creating an ever-changing and seemingly animated display. This captivating display was a source of wonder and amazement for people of all ages in the 19th century, and it quickly became a popular toy and collectible item. One of the key aspects of the kaleidoscope that set it apart fr...

Phantasmagoria - origin of cinema storytelling

Image
Phantasmagoria is a term that refers to a type of magic lantern show that was popular in Europe in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. These shows were a form of early cinema, and they played a significant role in the development of cinema storytelling. The magic lantern, also known as the phantasmagoria, was an early projection device that was used to create illusionary images by shining light through slides. This device was used to project images onto walls or screens, creating the illusion of moving images. The phantasmagoria shows that were performed using this device often included elements of horror and the supernatural, which made them popular among audiences at the time. The origins of phantasmagoria can be traced back to the late 18th century, when a French magician named Étienne-Gaspard Robert began performing magic lantern shows in Paris. Robert’s shows were known for their haunting and ghostly images, and they quickly became popular among audiences. In the years that f...

Eidophusikon - forerunners of motion picture arts

Image
The Eidophusikon was a forerunner of the motion picture arts, developed in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. It was a type of mechanical theater that used moving dioramas, lights, and sound effects to create a simulated performance for an audience. The term "Eidophusikon" comes from the Greek words "eidos," meaning "form" or "shape," and "phusis," meaning "nature." The first known Eidophusikon was created by the British inventor and showman John Francis in the 1790s. It consisted of a large box with a series of slides that could be rapidly changed to create the illusion of movement. The slides were illuminated from behind with oil lamps and accompanied by a narrator who provided sound effects and commentary.                                The Eidophusikon was a popular form of entertainment in Europe and the United States, particularly in the early 19th century. It was often used to depict historical e...

Moving panorama, myriorama - forerunners of motion picture arts

Image
The moving panorama is considered as one of the forerunners of motion picture arts. This art form was prevalent in the 19th century and was considered as a novel form of entertainment. The moving panorama was essentially a large canvas that was unrolled gradually in front of a live audience, accompanied by a lecture or narration. The unrolling of the canvas created an illusion of motion, giving rise to its name as a “moving” panorama. The concept of moving panoramas can be traced back to the 17th century when large paintings were displayed in a circular room. These paintings were created to give the illusion of a three-dimensional space, allowing the viewer to experience the painting as if they were present in the depicted scene. This concept was later improved upon and made portable, allowing it to be displayed in different locations, eventually leading to the creation of moving panoramas. The moving panorama was a popular form of entertainment in the 19th century, particularly in the...

Cyclorama - precursors of film and movie

Image
A Cyclorama is a large, cylindrical painting that surrounds the viewer, creating the illusion of being in the scene depicted in the painting. They were popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a form of entertainment and education, often depicting historical events or landscapes. They were often displayed in specially-built buildings called Cyclorama buildings. Cycloramas were precursors to film and movies in that they used similar techniques to create the illusion of movement and depth. However, unlike film and movies, Cycloramas were static images that the viewer would physically move around to experience different parts of the painting. They were also typically much larger in scale than film or movies, with some Cycloramas measuring up to 100 feet in diameter. Despite their popularity in the past, Cycloramas have largely been replaced by film and movies as a form of entertainment and education. Today, there are only a few remaining Cycloramas in the world, and they are c...