1. The Lantern’s Early Impact
Early Magic Lantern History
First, for context, a bit of very early magic lantern history: These two pictures are both titled, “A General Display of the Arts and Sciences.” They were the frontispiece illustrations for two editions of The Royal Encyclopaedia-— 1698 & 1798. Both frontispieces contained magic lanterns at the lower left, as shown in the detail.
The 1698 version (top image), was published about 40 years after the invention of the magic lantern. It shows that the lantern was already one of the critical instruments of the Arts and Sciences of that time. The 1798 version, (bottom image) is 100 years later, and omits many things from the earlier version. But the lantern remains, and remains important.
This Museum’s collection of lantern imagery from 1800–1965 demonstrates that the lantern was still permeating the Arts and Sciences in America another 100+ years after the 1798 Encyclopaedia, and 250–350 years after its invention. See a video on magic lantern development here.
Archival Notes
Next: Phantasmagoria Spooks the Crowd
Ten Minute Tour Contents
55. Magic Lantern Molded the Nation
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55. Summary
Magic Lantern Shows Molded Nation
Magic Lantern Shows had a very long run in America. They were still being shown in the atomic age, 315 years after the lantern's invention, and 220 years after its introduction to our shores. The lantern's impact on the country covered that entire history.
Crusading illustrated lecturers shaped America's vision of social issues. Travel lecturers drove their appraisals of other countries deep into the American consciousness. Science shows revealed new discoveries, and imagined life on other planets. War reports defined our national identity. Religious shows re-created the history of the Holy Land.
Perhaps just as important, the lantern's gorgeous screen images, its dramatic stories, its spell-binding showmen, and its slapstick comedy brought delight and a new sense of life's possibilities to millions of people across America. They learned that if they did something strange—sit in the dark, in a group, watching a big screen—wondrous things would happen. Little did they know that they were also preparing for America's greatest contribution to world culture, the movies.
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