First ever illustration of a CAMERA OBSCURA
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First ever illustration of a CAMERA OBSCURA
ca.
1420
JOHANNES DE FONTANA ( - )
What
appears to be the earliest-ever illustration of the camera obscura
is found in a book by Fontana in 1420. The drawing shows a nun
holding a vertically shaped camera with an image on the inside.
Historians and commentators routinely speak of this illustration
as a lantern, however the apparatus held is nothing like a lantern.
The camera obscura contains the image and the lantern
projects it. In this drawing by Fontana we see the image
within the held object. The subject image does not appear
to be projected, even when viewing the entire image. One aspect
of the supposed image (devilish character) is interesting however;
the lantern very early became an instrument to instill fear in
its viewers. Diabolic and demonic themes were common. In France
for instance, the lantern became known as the Lanterne de Peur
or "Lantern of Fear". To date,
all other interests have only described the camera with reference
to it's appearance but with no actual drawing or illustration.
I am not convinced this is a lantern or a drawing of a lantern,
however, could this drawing of Fontana's be the same as referenced
by Siegfried Zielinski in his piece on Cinema Archaeology
when he states regarding the magic lantern.......
1420
JOHANNES DE FONTANA ( - )
What
appears to be the earliest-ever illustration of the camera obscura
is found in a book by Fontana in 1420. The drawing shows a nun
holding a vertically shaped camera with an image on the inside.
Historians and commentators routinely speak of this illustration
as a lantern, however the apparatus held is nothing like a lantern.
The camera obscura contains the image and the lantern
projects it. In this drawing by Fontana we see the image
within the held object. The subject image does not appear
to be projected, even when viewing the entire image. One aspect
of the supposed image (devilish character) is interesting however;
the lantern very early became an instrument to instill fear in
its viewers. Diabolic and demonic themes were common. In France
for instance, the lantern became known as the Lanterne de Peur
or "Lantern of Fear". To date,
all other interests have only described the camera with reference
to it's appearance but with no actual drawing or illustration.
I am not convinced this is a lantern or a drawing of a lantern,
however, could this drawing of Fontana's be the same as referenced
by Siegfried Zielinski in his piece on Cinema Archaeology
when he states regarding the magic lantern.......
"One
of the earliest, around 1420, had a particularly striking feature:
the diabolical element was very definitely imagined as feminine.
The projectionist, who held the lantern with a taper in his hand,
wore oriental clothes (possibly a reference to the original inventors
of the magic lantern). The drawing of the lantern was not exact;
the apparatus is depicted around the image . . . . .."
(Siegfried Zielinski,
Media Archaeology, #5, A companion piece ).
Johannes de Fontana sketch (above) of his camera obscura from 1420 (Indebtedness to Loek Raemakers,
Rotterdam).
THE FULL FONTANA DRAWING; Is the larger
image being seen within the apparatus (camera obscura)?, or is
the smaller image within the apparatus (magic lantern) projecting it ?
image being seen within the apparatus (camera obscura)?, or is
the smaller image within the apparatus (magic lantern) projecting it ?
THE HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY OF CINEMATOGRAPHY
An illustrated Chronological History of the Development of Motion Pictures Covering 2500 Years Leading to the Discovery of Cinematography in the 1800's
http://precinemahistory.net
-- Paul Burns
An illustrated Chronological History of the Development of Motion Pictures Covering 2500 Years Leading to the Discovery of Cinematography in the 1800's
http://precinemahistory.net
-- Paul Burns
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