Victorian Visions Lecture 1
My first lecture was situated in ‘Millennium Point’ on the fourth floor in the IMAX Theatre. Our talk was concentrated around the Victorian era of Britain and Europe. Comparing similarities between Victorian inventions and discoveries to todays contemporary pieces of technology. Looking back into the Victorian era, researching the foundations of visual communications, also the non-visuals, therefore linking these discoveries with Illustration, my chosen area of study.
The Victorian era, ran throughout the 19th century from the 1800′s till 1899. It was an agricultural society of new beginnings, people were segregated into society classes of wealth, working class and middle class. Leisure time was introduced mainly to the middle class, leisure time was time to wind down and relax after working all day (spare time), A invention that was introduced into this leisure time was the “Camera Lucida”. Introduced in 1835, the Camera Lucida is an optical device which was used as a drawing aid for aspiring artists. The device performs an optical superimposition of the subject of which the user is viewing upon the page. Viewing both the scene and the platform in which they are drawing upon, tracing the subject in view. The device was patented in1807 by William Hyde Wollaston, an aid for drawing I may suggest a contemporary version of the Camera Lucida for graphic designers and illustrators which is the graphics tablet. For instance I own a Wacom Bamboo tablet to help aid my designs visually upon my Mac computer to aid me in painting digitally upon Adobe photoshop.
The Zoetrope is one of the pre-animation inventions during the 1800′s this device was created in1833 or 1834 by a British mathamatician “William George Horner”. Within the drum like device are a sequence of illustrations to communicate movement, whilst the device spins, creating an illusion of movement. Usually illustrated horses birds or wild cats, Zoetrope’s meaning comes from the Greek root of; “Zoe” meaning “life” and “trope” meaning”turning”. Which is “life turning” so I conclude that the motion of the device brings the illustration to life via movement. This device being the beginning of animation and film, we now still use storyboards little snippets of illustration to create animation as we are now more advanced in visual communication.
Another animation device the Phenakistoscope, was an early animation contraption invented by “Belgian Joseph Plateau” planned in 1829 and invented in 1832. The idea was recognised by a Greek mathematician “Euclid” and also later in experiments by “Newton”. The device showing a couple waltzing (dancing), a device for the Victorians leisure time using the persistence of vision to communicate an illusion of motion. Discussed in the lecture for animation referring to my area of study “Illustration”. Creating fine detail to portray smooth movement towards the animation process. Now linking to illustrated cards and the device of the “Stereoscope”, where the user had to hold the device and concentrate via the viewfinder. Where the card being the data or software would be placed to create a 3D image. I would describe this device of the time as one of the first advances towards 3D glasses in cinema.
The Kaiserpanorama is a piece of stereoscopic entertainment a medium used in the 19th and early 20th century. Invented by “august Fuhmann”, patented in 1890 it had a number of viewing stations, viewing through lenses showing rotating glass slides another creation of early animation and movie. By 1910 Fuhmann had over 250 branches across Europe in various Exhibitions with over 100,000 slides which are now stored in the Central Archive. We now have a modern series of this original creation, Occulus Rift (game) headset to control movement throughout a game. Progression from this invention inspired the “Diorama”, originating in Paris in 1822, it is an alternative to the popular panorama (panoramic painted rooms/walls). A theatrical experience viewed in a theatre, using paintings that would rotate and change with sound effects. Also an early development of film, a box Diorama was a small person of this theatrical experience also.
The Victorian era was one of change and progression in inventions and new technologies. Not only communicating visually but also invisible forms of communication, here I shall discuss the non visual technologies and progressions through the 19th century. The “Telegraph”, Tele meaning distance and graphed meaning to write. A long distance transmission, being verbal or symbolic.The use of encoding messages from afar, the machine sends and communicates with one who is not present as if they are. Telegraphy started in 1792 but the electronic version of communication via the Telegraph was introduced in 1837.
The Victorians were very interested in new discoveries. New discoveries bought the age of communication with the deceased. The discovery of Ceance’s and also spirit photography. To later be discovered as an illusion of multiple exposures. One Photographer “William Mumler” Created a photographic piece of Bronson Murray in a Trance with the spirit of Ella Bonner. Murray used assistants to portray spirit like figures as multiple exposures to portray a spirit, this photograph was taken in 1872. Cameras in the 19th century were seen as a scientific tool and captured the truth what was displayed infont of the lens, considering them to portray the truth. In the late 1800′s in 1890 Professor Pepper created theatrical effects using mirrors to create an illusion of ghosts upon the stage, named as “Pepper’s ghosts”. The Victorian’s loved themes of opposite such as; life an death, rich and poor, and good and evil.
New and advanced technologies were being developed. The Victorian’s knew of radio and gamma rays/radiation (electromagnetic field). Discoveries were made and the X-Ray was discovered. The first X-Ray to be taken was by Professor Wilhelm which he took of his wife hand showing and focusing upon her wedding ring upon her hand.
In 1810there was confusion in whether a horse brings all hooves up into the air whilst galloping. So a bet was made, “Edweard Mybridge” created a series of 12 lapses to record and prove the motion of which the horse runs. An experiment in motion, another form of a zoetype but on a massive scale these are the first initial beginnings of illustration but more importantly animation and its developments.
These were the “Victorians Visions”. Illustration plays a big part in every aspect of these inventions, illustrations are the foundations of any animation. Attempting to communicate an idea, entertainment in leisure time in this instant. The creation of entertainment and the part illustration has to playing all of this. From this talk I have discovered many inventions that has scoped the way things are today and shows us, how far we have come. These are the foundations of our roots, as designers to learn the basics and foundations of illustration and other media areas.
