The magic lantern in the Netherlands part 1

	The magic lantern in the Netherlands part 1
The text is the translation of a part of the article 'De toverlantaarn in Nederland' by Daan Buddingh, published in the Dutch magazine Het Photohistorisch Tijdschrift nr 2, 2007.

It is poignant that there has hardly been any research into the use of the magic lantern in the Netherlands until now. In children’s literature from the 19e century as well as descriptions from -for instance- fairs and feasts, the magic lantern is mostly only indirectly mentioned. Only Marieke de Natris (Kèkt nâh – a research into the use of the magic lantern in the Netherlands in the context of visual media, Master's exam, Leiden - 2002), and Vera Tietjens-Schuurman (Van toverlantaarn tot kinematograaf - Rottevalle 1979) examined this matter in great detail.
An important role for the Dutch Quite a few Dutchmen played an important role in the development of the Magic Lantern as well as the design of (mechanical) lantern slides in the 17th and 18th century. In particular it was the scientist, Christiaan Huygens who played a crucial part in the invention of the Laterna Magica. As from 1653 Huygens experimented with lenses, microscopes and telescopes. In 1659 he described the working of his magic lantern provided with three lenses, intended to amuse his children at home. Huygens did not show off this invention. When the French Court was interested in a performance with Huygen's lantern he wrote: "I am ashamed because it will transpire that the device is mine." A friend of Huygens, the Dutch Jesuit Andreas Taquet, possibly gave the first 'magical' performance for an audience about this time. Other Dutch pioneers of the lantern were the brothers P. and J. van Musschenbroek and the learned professor and physicist W. J. ‘s Gravensande. Jan van Musschenbroek constructed for 's Gravensande a man-sized magic lantern in Leiden around 1720. Some years later Jan van Musschenbroek made some mechanical lantern slides that were shown by his brother Petrus in 1731. In 1739 Petrus described several mechanical movable lantern slides. By means of turning, pulling, or the use of a level, two glass discs were enabled to move in front of each other (sails of a windmill start to turn, a gentleman takes off his hat, a cow takes a dog on its horns, a shoemaker moves his hammer).
Prime of the magic lantern The prime time of the magic lantern is from about 1840 until about 1900, also in the Netherlands. This is mainly thanks to a number of technical improvements: better sources of light (lime light, paraffin lamps, gas light, and finally electrical light), better objectives, the production of large amounts of lantern slides, photographical positives on glass. Large lanterns, often provided with two or three lenses above each other, make it possible to give lantern shows for hundreds of spectators at the same time. By the use of more lenses in a lantern also dissolving views and chromatropes or colour changers became possible. In the latter half of the 19th century well into the 20th century, the lantern’s domestic use was flooded by a new market: the toy lantern, bought especially for children. In the Netherlands toy lanterns were mainly bought from the German manufacturers Ernst Plank and the Bing brothers. Occasionally we find references to other German companies such as Hoffmann, Carette and Falk and the Lapierre firm from France. Prices vary from some guilders to some tens of guilders. The children's lanterns go with small oblong glass lantern slides, measuring 2-6 cm width. The pictures on them are about fairy tales, caricatures, panoramas, sea views (often four pictures side by side against a black background. The long small toy slides also predominantly came from Germany (Bing, Plank, Falk, Carette, Roose, Ross, Jenisch). The larger 8,3 x 8,3 standard slides were either obtained from Germany (Liesegang, Unger and Hoffmann) or England (Primus, Butcher & Sons, Newton & Co, Hughes, York & Son, Bamforth and others). The small movable slides again came from Germany, the large mechanical slides from England. This also concerns photo positives on glass and especially the chromatropes or colour changers: two discs of glass in a wooden frame that produce beautiful kaleidoscopic fire work effects. In the seventies of the 19th century extensive manuals for the use of the magic lantern appear. A well known example is ‘De tooverlantaarn, de wijze van samenstelling en gebruik alsmede de kunst om een geest op te wekken door een spook’ (translated from 'The Magic Lantern. How to buy and how to use it; also How to raise a Ghost, by 'a mere Phantom'. London, Houlson and Wright, 1870). Later the firm C.A.P.I. published a row of comprehensive manuals and catalogues.
Domestic shows A favourite was a lantern show at children’s parties, mostly presented by a member of the family but it was also not uncommon to hire a lanternist for this occasion. A children’s magazine from 1844 describes such a show in the family circle: “Uncle has brought a lantern. He also projects the pictures”. On show is a flying night owl, the movement imitated by moving the image across the lens, followed by a harlequin on a tight rope. Next the history of Pieter Spa who wanted to participate in the coronation celebrations held in London ("he takes the wrong steamship and ends up in France, a comical spectacle"), including some birds that pull a man up into the sky. Besides that, there are scary images of tigers and wolves. The repertoire includes many comic scenes such as the life of Punch and some moving slides. The Dutch writer Jacob van Lennep later in his life remembers such a show and describes in 1857 a performance of the lanternist Laurens, who went round Amsterdam circa 1810 to project his wares for children's audiences: "At the start of the performance Laurens turned his lyre and the children were asked to dance. Then he pulled the tablecloth tight across the wall and placed his lantern opposite on a table. He lit the tallow candle in the lantern whilst all the other candles in the room were blown out. The show can begin: before a spellbound children’s audience the lanternist holds a kind of prologue about the lantern. The projections are accompanied by stories: biblical scenes; Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, Noah’s Ark, the parable of the Prodigal Son. Besides that there were slides of Punch and his children, soldiers, ducks swimming in the water and Sir Augustine. Laurens always ended his show with the story of the baker’s wife who has a fight with the devil and pulls his tail."
The annual fair The annual fair was an important event in the 19th century. It was a combination of information, entertainment, amazement and sensation. All sorts of artists and showmen presented a mixture of amusement, art, technology and science. The street singer illustrates his songs by means of self painted pictures, printed on 'smartlappen' (Dutch for 'tear-jerker'. A 'lap' is a piece of cloth). Performers of all kinds of visual entertainment present their tricks: de 'rarekiek' (by means of an enlarging objective the spectator saw three-dimensional images), the camera obscura, the panorama, the diorama and last but not least the magic lantern. In the silhouette theatre the magic lantern is used to project a background. The magic lantern shows offer information about for instance historical events, biblical scenes, news items from home and abroad, views from faraway countries, as well as humorous slipping slides or other moving pictures, visual puns and chromatropes. This also takes place during the 1895 World Fair in Amsterdam. In the morning edition of 'Het Handelsblad' from August 19 we read: As from August 16 again some shows were presented on a stretched large piece of linen ... Now we have a brand new spectacle, very capable to give the audience a delightful pleasure. In the two small houses ... now daily the Giant Magic Lantern is introduced, as it is improved by the great Edison. Presented are the most beautiful views from our beloved country and also art treasures, images of old Amsterdam; also landscapes with the change from day to night, quite marvellous to look at ... maybe of great importance for many people because one can sit down and make a voyage to unknown parts of the world at the same time. ...
Education In the middle of the 19th century the magic lantern acquires a more important role in the education of the people. Some corporations arise which use the magic lantern to bring and hold the morality at a high level. Those who visit such a lantern show are faced with a choice of devout and virtuous series. Clergymen and priests who don't have the gift of the gab illustrate their sermons in church by slides. Many of the biblical stories are converted into pictures on glass slides. Because it becomes possible to produce series of slides of photographic images, a more realistic presentation comes within arm's reach. Between 1870 and 1910 a new kind of photographic slides are added: costumed models posed in scenes or locations illustrate narratives, songs and other texts. Typical subjects of this so called life model series included didactic temperance tales of alcoholism, unemployment and other social vices.


			'Hope On', series of life model slides made by Bamforth & Co.
Life model series were also made to illustrate popular songs and also lengthy services of songs consisting of a narrative interspersed with hymns and delivered as a religious service. The two most prolific manufacturers were the firms of Bamforth & Co. and York & Son. They made use of actors (local actors or even members of the photographer's family) photographed in a rather primitive painted setting. Scenery and attributes were often used again and again in other stories. The photographs are published on glass in large quantities. The black and white images were often coloured by hand. Because of the increasing quality of the magic lantern it is used more and more for education, instructions and for lectures. This starts at the end of the 19th century and continues till the Second World War begins. Catalogues from these years mention hundreds of slide series about countless topics and for almost all school subjects. A great deal of the lanternists that made their appearance in the Netherlands, came from abroad, from Belgium, Germany or France. Itinerant lanternists from Belgium were often called 'Luikerwalen' because of their birth place Luik-Walloon. A well-known Dutch lanternist was the owner of fairground attractions Freark Bakkerus. In summertime he travelled from fair to fair with his ‘Kunstkabinet’ (Art Cabinet) where he showed stereoscopic images among other things. In addition in the period 1890-1930 he travelled around in wintertime to present his magic lantern shows in pubs and other rooms. Fortunately one of Bakkerus' slide programs from 1908 has been saved. The show was opened to bring The last news: The earthquake in the South of Italy and The dreadful catastrophe in the mines of Ham and The railway accident in Contich in Belgium. Besides the program mentions The Dogs and Monks of St. Bernard, Two merry Monday holders ('laughs guaranteed'), Bob the Fireman or Life of the Red Brigade, Living in the slums of London ('wonderful'), Voyages to several parts of the World, The last expedition to the North Pole, Unexpected encounter ('laughs guaranteed'), Danger at Sea and The Revenge of the Monkey ('very comical'). Bakkerus was accompanied during the lantern shows by his nephew Peter Bonnet who established the Magic Lantern Museum in Sloten (Friesland) in later days. The museum exists in these days under the name Stedhûs Sleat. It accommodates one of the most extensive collections of magic lanterns and lantern slides of the Netherlands.
More .............