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Other documents randomly have
different content
published at Rome in 1646. Kircher defined his “Great Art” as “the
faculty by which we make and exhibit with light and shadow the
wonders of things in nature.” That applies to living pictures today as it
did in the 17th Century. Even the sound of the modern motion pictures
is recorded and reproduced through light and shadow action.
No clue is given by Kircher to the exact date he invented the magic
projection lantern. But it was probably not long before he finished the
book in 1644 or 1645. Kircher dedicated his thick quarto volume, which
was handsomely published by Herman Scheus at the press of Ludovici
Grignani in Rome, to Archduke Ferdinand III, the Holy Roman Emperor,
King of Hungary, King of Bohemia and King of the Romans. Hence,
knowledge of the screen first appeared in print under very
distinguished patronage.
The title page explained that the great art of light and shadow had
been “digested” into ten books “in which the wonderful powers of light
and shadow in the world and even in the natural universe are shown
and new forms for exhibiting the various earthly uses are explained.”
The Emperor wrote a foreword and this was followed by an
introduction of Kircher “to the reader.” Kircher spoke of the earlier use
of light and shadow by the necromancers to deceive, but pointed out
that his developments were for “public use, or a means of private
recreation.” Introductory material also included several odes about the
subject and the author, as well as the necessary ecclesiastical
approvals.
The first nine books, or long sections, of Ars Magna Lucis et
Umbrae include such diverse topics as the following: Light, reflection,
images, the speaking tube, the structure of the eye, sketching devices,
the art of painting, geometrical patterns, clocks, the nature of reflected
light, refraction and means of measuring the earth.
The section which is of special interest in the story of magic
shadows is the tenth—it gives the title to the whole work. The sub-title
of the chapter is, “Wonders of light and shadow, in which is considered
the more hidden effects of light and shadow and various applications.”
In the preface to the section Kircher wrote “in this, as in our other
research, we have believed that the results of our important
experiments should be made public.” “That risk is taken,” he continued,
“for the purpose of preventing the curious readers from being
defrauded of time and money by those who sell imitation devices, for
many have provided wondrous, rare, marvelous and unknown things
and others have sold so much bunk.”
The first section of the all-important tenth chapter discussed magic
clocks and sun-dials; the second, the camera obscura or “dark
chamber,” lenses, telescopes, other optical devices. In the third section
there appears the magic lantern. The section is called, “Magia
Catoptrica, or concerning the wondrous exhibition of things by the use
of a mirror.” Catoptron in Greek means “mirror.” Kircher wrote, “Magia
catoptrica is nothing else but the method of exhibiting through the
means of mirrors hidden things which seem to be outside the scope of
the human mind.” Ancient authorities who had made contributions to
this art-science were mentioned by Kircher.
First Kircher explained how steel mirrors were made and polished—
mirrors or reflectors are still of importance in gathering light in the
motion picture projector. He commented on the various types of
convex, concave, spherical and other types of mirrors.
In Kircher’s day even the learned were quite uneducated according
to modern standards, especially on all matters of physical science.
Images that appeared from nowhere were most mysterious and few
knew how they were produced. The telescope and microscope were
still very new and many doubted what their eyes saw through these
inventions.
Kircher, as a showman, described a Catoptric Theatre—a large
cabinet in which many mirrors were concealed. One of the “Theatres”
was placed in the Villa Borghese Palace in Rome and doubtless
delighted the nobles of that day as much as the people in the United
States were pleased with the first Edison peep-show machines in 1894.
For Kircher’s Catoptric Theatre was an early peep-show device. It also
has a relation to the Kaleidoscope of the early 19th century.
The first form of the magic lantern described by Kircher was merely
a lantern suitable for showing letters at a remote distance. It is very
simple and appears entirely elementary. But the first step was taken.
The third problem of the third section of the tenth book of the Ars
Magna Lucis et Umbrae was how to construct such an artificial lantern
with which written characters may be shown at a remote distance.
The parts are easily distinguished—a concave mirror at the rear; a
candle for a light source; a handle and a place for inserting silhouette
letter slides. Kircher noted that in the device the flame will burn with an
unaccustomed brilliance. “Through the aid of this device very small
letters may be exhibited without any trouble.” He noted that some will
think there is an enormous fire, so bright will the lantern shine. He
added that the strength of the light will be increased if the interior of
the cylinder is covered with an alloy of silver and lead to increase its
reflecting qualities.
The second Kircher device of direct relation to the motion picture is
his machine for creating metamorphoses or rapid changes. All kinds of
transformations could be shown. Here was first introduced the
revolving wheel on which pictures were painted. It bears an analogous
relation to the motion picture devices of the early 19th century—also
using a revolving vertical wheel. The modern projector likewise has its
film pictures on a small wheel or reel.
Kircher explained that in this catoptric machine a man looking at
the mirror (equivalent to the screen in a theatre) sees images of a fire,
a cow and other animals all blending one into another. It is unlikely that
the giant wheel could be revolved swiftly enough to give anything like
the proper illusion of motion but certainly there was a transformation
which must have appeared wondrous and entertaining. (Illustration
facing page 48.)
Kircher also described how images of objects could be projected by
means of the light of a candle. Through this system various images
were exhibited in a darkened chamber. But Kircher evidently was not
satisfied with this method, for no illustration of it appeared in the first
edition of his book. The reason is obvious. A candle could provide only
enough illumination for the faintest shadows. Kircher wrote that those
objects which need only a fraction of the sun’s light can be shown by a
candle in a small room. Two methods for this were indicated: (1) with a
concave mirror reflecting the images and (2) projecting the image
through a lens. It was noted that the better single method was through
the lens. A combination of the two provided the most light. Kircher
remarked that he had read in a history of the Arabs that a certain king
of Bagdad used a mirror to work wonders in order to deceive the
people. He also pointed out that some men had used mirrors to project
into dark places what the ignorant thought were devils.
The chief problem in Kircher’s day and for centuries afterwards was
to provide sufficient light. The final solution did not come until electric
light was introduced. Probably Kircher’s most efficient projection was
one in which the sun was used as the source of light. Even in the early
part of the 20th century arrangements were used which hooked up the
sun with the magic lantern because it was thought that the results
were even better and cheaper than those obtained with electric light.
Kircher’s sun magic projector used a real optical system which is
fundamental even to this day. There was first the source of light, then a
reflector and the object, and the projected image. The effects, of
course, would be most startling in a darkened room. Kircher also
showed how shadows of any type of figure could be thrown onto a wall
or screen through the same method.
In those days when there was much secret correspondence and
keen interest in various forms of cipher, many of Kircher’s readers were
glad to note how the magic lantern could be used for such a purpose.
At that time people would not, it was believed, detect that the letters in
such a system were simply backwards and upside down. The message
could be read easily by projecting images of the letters. The same
result could be had by turning the paper upside down and holding it
before a mirror.
After listing these many diverse uses of the magic lantern system
Kircher thought it well to conclude his book lest he be charged with
“meandering” endlessly on a subject which some would consider trivial.
Kircher said, “We leave all these to the talented reader for further
refinement. A word to the wise is sufficient. Innumerable things could
be said concerning the application of this device but we leave to others
new material of invention and lest this work grow too long we cut off
the thread of discussion about these devices.”
 Kircher ended his entire book by saying that it was published “not
for income or glory but for the common good.”
In his Latin autobiography Kircher made only one passing reference
to his Ars Magna Lucis et Umbrae, “The Great Art of Light and
Shadow.”
Let Kircher speak:

At this time (around 1645) three more books were

published, the first on the magnetic art, On Magnetism; another
On the Great Art of Light and Shadow and a third written in the
name of Musurgia, “Music.” These are not insignificant works,
praise be God. They occasioned applause but this applause soon
brought me another form of tribulation; new accusations piled
up and for this reason my critics said I should devote my whole
life to developing mathematics. So with desperate hope on
account of this impenetrable difficulty I gave up my work on
hieroglyphics and my heart and mind were discouraged.

At one point in the discussion of the magic lantern in Ars Magna

Lucis et Umbrae Kircher interrupted the thread of the story long
enough to point out that charges of the use of the black arts had been
made against him and others who knew the use of mirrors and lenses
by some who had no knowledge of philosophy and science. He told
how Roger Bacon was charged with necromancy because he could
show a recognizable shadow of himself in a dark room where his
friends were assembled. Kircher noted that certainly a talented
philosopher and scientist could accomplish all these effects through skill
in the use of mirrors and lenses and without any trace of the suspect
black art.
The charge of necromantic art was the source of much of Kircher’s
unhappiness. Some considered him in league with the devil because he
could make images and shadows and objects appear where none had
been before. It was the age-old story that some in the audience or
among the readers did not understand how an effect was produced so
its validity and legitimacy were denied.
 Praise and blame always have been the lot of discoverers and
inventors.
Kircher had, however, better fortune than many others. He was
able to write in his autobiography, “Divine Providence, which never fails
us, took care of my trouble in this wonderful way—my appointed work
was restored to me and by the occasion of this good fortune I escaped
the traps of my adversaries.”
Adversaries on even scientific matters in those days battled to the
death. What happened was this: A commission established by Innocent
X, who had been elected Pope in 1644, ordered that Kircher be allowed
to continue his beloved antiquarian studies. It seemed that the Obelisk
of Caracalla had been partially destroyed and Kircher was given the
task of directing the restoration. Kircher’s original patron, Cardinal
Barberini, continued to have influence, being Pope Innocent’s legate or
ambassador to the Emperor.
And so the man who had done so much to advance the art-science
of living pictures for the knowledge and enjoyment of vast millions in
the centuries to come spent the happiest days of his life looking
towards the dead and buried past.
A quarter of a century later, Kircher was able to revise and enlarge
his book on The Great Art of Light and Shadow and have it printed in a
great folio edition in 1671 by John Jansson of Waesberge at
Amsterdam. Conditions had changed greatly—Kircher was no longer a
newcomer at Rome, suspected of being in league with the devil on
account of his powers with mirrors and lenses and his amazing
projected images. His fame as a universal scholar, “The Doctor of a
Hundred Arts,” had spread throughout the European world. Men now
had begun to realize there was much of great value in his Magia
Catoptrica or Magic Projection with mirrors.
Jacob Alban Ghibbesim, M.D., professor at the Roman College, in
the caption for Kircher’s portrait, used these words: “This man and his
name are known to the ends of the earth.”
In 1670 Kircher had a new patron, John Frederic, to whom he
dedicated his work. The Emperor Ferdinand, who sponsored the first
edition, had died in 1657. Europe was gradually recovering from the
effects of the Thirty Years’ War. Louis XIV was establishing an all-
powerful personal rule in France. Holland and Switzerland were
jealously guarding their newly won independence. Sweden was an
important European power. Great Britain had a short-lived republic
under Cromwell. In the New World the English had consolidated their
position by driving the Dutch out of New Amsterdam, occupying New
York in 1664. Much of the New World had yet to be explored.
“Vagabonds and imposters” had carried the magic lantern
everywhere during the quarter century following its announcement,
usually claiming it as their own invention. Kircher thought the time had
come for him to set down in more detail various additional applications
of his magic lantern, invented 30 years before. The only additions
Kircher made to the entire tome were in the section on the magic
lanterns. Two new plates were made, showing room and box-type
projectors and also added was another special plate on a particular
application demonstrating that Kircher used the lantern idea to tell a
story. (Illustration facing page 49.)
Let Kircher now explain about Walgenstein, a Dane, one of his first
and most successful imitators in the practice of the magic lantern:

Concerning the construction of Magic Lantern or

Thaumaturga (Wonder Projector)—
Although we have already mentioned this lantern in several
places and shown a method of transmitting images by the sun
into dark places, we will illustrate one further use—that is, a
method of projecting painted images of objects in their own
colors. Because previously we merely outlined this subject and
left it entirely apart from other more important inventions, it
happened that many who were drawn by the novelty of the
magic lantern applied their minds to its refinement.
First among these was a Dane, Thomas Walgenstein, not a
little known as a mathematician, who, recalling my invention,
produced a better form of the lantern which I had described.
These he sold, with great profit to himself, to many of the
 prominent people of Italy. He sold so many that by now the
magic lantern is nearly commonplace in Rome. However, there
is none among all these lanterns which differs from the lantern
described by us. Walgenstein said that with this lantern model
he showed a large number of sufficiently bright and shining
pictures in a dark chamber and they aroused the greatest
admiration in the audiences. We in our dark chamber at the
college are accustomed to show many new pictures to the
greatest wonder of those looking on. The show is most
worthwhile seeing, the subjects being either satire or tragic
plays, all the pictures in the appearances of the living.

From Kircher’s statement Walgenstein should be hailed as the first

commercializer of the projector and the first traveling picture showman
or “road-show man.” Unfortunately, little is known of this man. While he
may have been “not a little known” in Kircher’s time, he left no mark on
history, evidently never writing a book or holding an educational or
other position which would have been recorded. It seems certain that
he was the Dane of whom the French inventor and scientist, Milliet de
Chales, spoke about as introducing the magic lantern in Lyons, France,
some years after it was invented by Kircher.
Kircher’s statement about the shows which he put on at the Roman
College is most interesting. The reference to tragic and comic plays
indicates beyond doubt that Kircher used a succession of lantern slides
to tell a story as the modern motion picture is made up of a succession
of pictures.
Kircher included a description of the slide projector so that all who
wished could imitate his work. “All these things have been shown so
that the reader can make his own,” he said. “The work of art formerly
described does not differ from the new lantern.” He pointed out that
moving slides had been added so that the objects might appear with
the aspect of living shadows. He again explained how a concave mirror
and diaphragm should be used. Kircher informed his readers that he
usually used four or five slides, each having eight pictures painted on
glass. The illustrations, he noted, explain the system better than words.
We echo that and refer the reader to the illustrations of the box and
room moving-slide projectors of Kircher.
Kircher in his 1671 edition described a form of revolving disc to tell
a story. (He selected the most widely known story of all for the model—
The Life of Christ.) The light available would not give a great effect but
the pattern was set. Nearly two hundred years later the first projection
of motion pictures was to be achieved with a somewhat similar disc
and series of painted figures. Kircher’s revolving disc told the story with
a series of still pictures rapidly succeeding each other. (Illustration
facing page 48.)
By explaining all details of the method and construction of the
magic lantern to everyone interested, Kircher had hoped to expose
some of the imposters who were using his invention to arouse fear and
make the people believe that the operator had magic powers.
Kircher, with his “hundred arts,” became vir toto orbe
celebratissimus—a man well known throughout the world—according to
Jerome Langenmantel who edited his autobiography in 1684. However,
since his own era Kircher has been relatively unknown.
There was hardly a branch of learning that did not attract Kircher’s
attention. He assembled one of the best ethnological collections of his
time. He attempted to develop a basic language and was one of the
first to make a start towards deciphering hieroglyphics. In the field of
magnetism he was a pioneer and in 1632 was one of the first to map
compass variation and ocean currents. In medicine Kircher was a
proponent of the new and generally disbelieved germ theory of
disease, and an experimenter in the use of hypnotism for healing
purposes. He contributed much to the early knowledge of volcanoes. As
an inventor, Kircher perfected one of the first counting machines,
speaking tubes, Aeolian harps and developed the microscope to an
enlarging power of 1,000 diameters.
However, despite all his knowledge, his title of “Doctor of a
Hundred Arts” and the trouble and fame incidental to the invention of
the magic lantern—his least art, or “the hundredth”—Kircher was not
prideful of his reputation. He concluded his little autobiography by
describing himself as “a poor, humble and unworthy servant of God.”
His heart was buried in a shrine to Mary, the Mother of God, which
Kircher had constructed on the Sabine Hill in Rome.

* * * * *
The art-science of projection and the magic lantern were further
explained through the publication of three other books which included
a description of Kircher’s work and illustrations of his projector
systems; namely, George de Valesius’ volume on the Museum of the
Roman College in 1678, which pointed out that Kircher had developed
magic lanterns using one or more lenses, and that several different
models were on display and in use since the time of their invention;
Johann Stephan Kesler’s book on Kircher’s experiments published in
1680 and another edition in 1686; and finally there was published in
Rome in 1707, a work on the Kircher Museum—the Museum of the
Roman College which had by then been given officially the name of its
collector. Today only a few small objects remain of Kircher’s original
collections. Unfortunately, Kircher’s devices were destroyed shortly after
his death.
The museum of Kircher at the Roman College, the first picture
theatre in the world, was an amazing place. Every conceivable kind of
antiquarian and scientific object was assembled—from Egyptian
inscriptions to stuffed animals, fish, rare stones, curiosities from the
New Worlds and everything pertaining to the pursuits of the “Doctor of
a Hundred Arts.” Any spectator, from one of the eminent Cardinals to a
young Roman nobleman and student at the College who was invited to
a performance, would certainly have been well prepared for an
extraordinary show after looking at the diverse collections at the
museum.
In the 17th century there was no doubt as to the identity of the
inventor of the magic lantern. Before Kircher’s death in 1680 his magic
lantern was widely used in Europe for scientific and entertainment
purposes as well as for the art of deception. The question was raised
by later writers seeking to claim a national of their own country as the
inventor. Kesler wrote in 1680, “In the catoptric art images are
exhibited in dark places through the magic lantern which our author
(Kircher) invented and which, to his undying memory, he
communicated to the world.”
In those days some men liked to keep secret their inventions lest
some one else claim the rewards. Two and a half centuries later,
Thomas A. Edison sometimes found it better not to take out foreign
patents on his inventions because that frequently served only as notice
to those who sought to duplicate his work. For this reason Edison did
not spend the $150 necessary to obtain foreign patents on his moving
picture cameras and viewers.
 VII
POPULARIZING KIRCHER’S PROJECTOR

Kircher’s magic lantern is

popularized by others—
Schott—Milliet de Chales—
Zahn—Molyneux—The
name and fame of the
inventor are lost to the
public while magic shadow
projection spreads
throughout Europe.

A s with many another inventor, Kircher received little praise and

much blame for his invention of the magic lantern. Charges
of being in league with the devil to achieve the wondrous images on
the screen almost broke his spirit. Though his device was widely
pirated in Europe without acknowledgement of the inventor, before
Kircher’s death he was able to take some satisfaction from the fact
that his projector was no longer viewed as “black magic” but as a
great boon for mankind. Had he lived longer he would have again
been saddened as others claimed the magic lantern as their own. At
this later day the name of Kircher was known only to a few scholars
although the magic lantern audiences could be numbered in the
many thousands.

In the first half century after the invention of the magic lantern
projector, four men, in addition to Kircher himself, made its scientific
principles and construction widely known. They were a curious
group: Gaspar Schott, a protégé of Kircher; Claude Milliet de Chales,
a French priest and military expert; Johann Zahn German writer; and
William Molyneux, an Irish patriot, teacher and scientist.
Gaspar Schott was the best known of Kircher’s pupils who
helped to awaken scientific interest in Europe. He was born at
Königshofen, Bohemia, in 1608. He entered the Jesuit Order at the
age of 19. Like Kircher, his senior by six years, Schott was compelled
to flee the disorders in Germany and continue his studies abroad.
For his courses in philosophy and theology Schott went to Sicily.
Later he studied under Kircher at the Roman College. From his
contact with Kircher, Schott had developed a great interest in
scientific matters and mathematics. He conducted research and
wrote at Augsburg until his death in 1666. Schott’s books were once
very popular. Their subjects ranged from extracts of the diaries kept
by Kircher on his various scientific travels to mathematical text books
and even a study on the source of the river Nile. So far as the story
of magic shadows goes, Schott’s most valuable book was the Magia
Universalis Naturæ et Artis. “Wonders of Universal Nature and Art,”
published at Würzburg in 1658, with a second edition in 1674.
Schott described every type of magic lantern, basing his
remarks, of course, on the work of Kircher. The projection apparatus
described by him was better than that of the master, Kircher. Schott
described lanterns with and without lenses, and covered points of
practical use as well as the theory.
The age-old Burning Glasses of Archimedes were studied by
Schott, who knew about the various kinds of images, mirrors, and
the focal length and its importance in producing sharp pictures on
the screen. A refinement in the telescope was also explained.
Schott was probably the first man to write about, and study with
the magic lantern, optical illusions caused by a rapidly revolving
wheel, including the appearance of distorted figures. It was this
same study, carried on almost two hundred years later in England,
France and Belgium, that was to result in the first real motion
pictures. In ideas Schott outran the limitations of the physical
apparatus available at the time, as did Kircher himself.
Kircher had been asked by Schott to write the foreword to his
book. But Kircher was too busy with other works. (It is barely
possible that he was jealous of the growing fame of his former pupil;
or, more likely, that he was unwilling to appear in print at that time
on the subject which had so much contributed to his troubles.)
Nicholas Mohr, who did write the introduction, pointed out that
Schott had been carrying on the work of Kircher.
Schott discussed the various details of the magic lantern
projector in scientific terms. He was a pure scientist without the
dash of showmanship which at once distinguished Kircher and
probably helped to cause him difficulty with his “enemies.” Schott
described how “to construct the Kircher Catoptric Machine.” This was
the first coupling of Kircher’s own name with the magic lantern. But
people preferred Kircher’s appellation of “magic lantern.” And so his
own name did not grow into the language to stand for the device he
invented.
About fifteen years after Schott’s book appeared and nearly
thirty years after the first description of the magic lantern by Kircher
in his Great Art of light and Shadow, the first prominent Frenchman
in the history of the magic shadows made a contribution by
improving some details of the projector.
In keeping with what has not been an infrequent practice
amongst French historians in claiming inventions for Frenchmen, it
has been held that Claude François Milliet de Chales, and not
Athanasius Kircher, invented the magic lantern. Milliet de Chales was
a talented man but, as he himself clearly wrote, he did not invent
the magic lantern. What happened was that de Chales saw one
exhibited in Lyons, where he was stationed, and then devised some
improvements.
De Chales was much too young to have invented the magic
lantern, as he was born at Chambéry in 1621. He entered the Jesuits
in 1636 and after his studies spent some time in missionary work in
Turkey. While de Chales was on the missions, Kircher had already
demonstrated the magic lantern at Rome.
Father de Chales had an interesting career. Upon his return from
missionary work he became a professor of humanities and rhetoric.
Later his attention was turned to things scientific. Louis XIV made
him professor of hydrography at Marseilles and there de Chales was
able to devote much time to navigation and to other arts which
would have a military application. De Chales later taught
mathematics and theology, eventually becoming rector of Chambéry.
He died in Turin in 1678.
 Oculus Artificialis Teledioptricus, 1685
JOHANN ZAHN, Gaspar Schott, Claude Milliet de
Chales and William Molyneux perfected Kircher’s
magic lantern projector and spread knowledge of it
throughout Europe. Illustrated are table models by
Zahn. The mounting of the slides shows the quest
for movement. No basic improvements in the
projector were made for another century and a half.

De Chales’ monumental work is Cursus seu Mundus

Mathematicus, “The Mathematical World,” written in 1674. An
edition, edited from the author’s reviewed manuscript, by Amati
Varcin, S. J., was published at Lyons in 1690, 12 years after de
Chales’ death. One section was devoted to optics. De Chales studied
the eye and knew that the image is upside down on the retina. He
investigated other vision problems, including angular vision and
vision at long range, considered binocular vision and the images
formed by each eye. He devised satisfactory lenses and spectacles
for both far and near-sighted persons. (The original name for near-
sightedness—“Myopia”—came down from Aristotle.) De Chales
experimented with light and dark colored objects and gave
consideration to why we see better with two eyes than one. He
noted that the eye actually sees color and light and not objects and
movement—a fact upon which the whole motion picture process is
based. He pointed out that the ship appears to stand still and the
shore moves to an observer aboard. He also studied the nature of
color and the laws of light. De Chales even attempted three
dimension projection! Even now many efforts are being made to
achieve “three dimension” motion pictures without the use of special
glasses or other viewing devices for the spectators.
 Oculus Artificialis Teledioptricus, 1685
Time and wind indicators by projection were among
the curious adaptations of the magic lantern device
developed by Zahn. Above, the hour was indicated by
the point of the sword. Below, the wind instrument
was ingeniously connected to a vane on the roof. It
was automatic in action; the “clock” was not.
 De Chales considered plane and curved mirrors, improving the
design of the old camera lucida of Alberti by introducing a mirror. He
devised a simple searchlight to improve the projection of images, in
a system similar to Kircher’s design for the first magic lantern, but as
it had a stronger light source it was shown how letters, bright
enough to read, could be projected a great distance.
De Chales narrated how fires could be set with the two lens
system—as the old Burning Glasses of Archimedes. He was a
practical man as well as an ingenious one and included details on
how to make lenses. Other studies included consideration of color
reflection, a telescope with two convex lenses, an attempt to make
binoculars and even an experiment with prisms, laying some of the
groundwork for Newton.
De Chales wrote that for many things this method of projection
—direct with a strong light source—was “the best and most certain.”
Doubtless he was right, considering available means. He also pointed
out the military uses of the projector and other mirror-lens devices.
Today in enemy waters or where hostile sea or aircraft are expected
and a “radio silence” must be maintained—ships and planes must
use optical signaling devices and de Chales was the first to consider
carefully this subject.
De Chales’ most important refinement in the projector was the
introduction of a two-lens projection system.
He described in his book how the magic lantern first came to his
attention. “We have seen here at Lyons a dioptric machine, called a
magic lantern. Rays of light are projected through a tube for a
distance of ten or twelve feet. An enlarged image, about four feet in
diameter, is shown in all its colors.” The effect was considered
wonderful, according to de Chales. He noted, however, that a convex
lens was used but pointed out that it would be better to use a
double lens “as he demonstrated.” De Chales did not discard the
concave mirror, used as the light collector on almost all types of
projectors from Kircher’s to those of the present day.
 In a subsequent chapter de Chales gave more information on
this subject. “As I have indicated in the preceding chapter a learned
Dane” (very likely the same Walgenstein of whom Kircher wrote as a
popularizer of his lantern projector) “came to Lyons in the year
1655.” De Chales continued, “This Dane was well versed in optics
and among other things showed a lantern.” De Chales again noted
how he had developed an improvement, using two lenses, which
made possible a projection to the then amazing distance of 20 feet.
The present projection “throw” at the Radio City Music Hall,
Rockefeller Center, New York, is approximately 200 feet.
In addition to optics and many other fields of study, de Chales
was interested in navigation. He wrote a book, probably on the order
of the King’s general staff, The Art of Navigation demonstrated by
principle and proved by many observations drawn from practical
experience. He devised a paddle-wheel ship that would go against
the current, “without sails, without oars and without the traction of
any animal”—surely a military weapon! His most important military
work was The Art of Fortifying and Defending and Attacking
according to the French, Dutch, Italian and Spanish Methods.
De Chales mentioned in his writings Alhazen, Witelo and other
ancient authorities. He must have read the first edition of Kircher’s
book and also Gaspar Schott’s before his own was written. However,
de Chales made a definite improvement with his lens system which
is essentially the modern one. Also, his work helped to popularize
and extend the art and science of light and shadow. He was another
strange man in this complex story—a missionary, a teacher and a
military expert.
Johann Zahn in Oculus Artificialis Teledioptricus sive
Telescopium, “The Artificial Telescopic Eye or Telescope,” published
at Nuremberg in 1685 and 1702, outlined a better lens system for
the magic lantern and described many applications, including false
representations to create wonder and fear. One of Zahn’s teachers
was Jerome Langenmantel, the editor of Kircher’s autobiography, so
the link with Kircher is close and direct.
 Zahn considered the eye, vision and light, basing his work on
earlier writers. It was noted that Kircher, and his aide Schemer, used
a system—probably the natural camera—to observe the sun at Rome
in 1635. He also described telescopes and microscopes and a device
which was a forerunner in the Stereoscope.
In his section on the magic lantern, Zahn acknowledges his debt
to Kircher, referring to Kircher’s book and to Schott’s saying “the
projection of images of objects was announced in a wonderful
manner by Kircher.” He also knew de Chales’ work. But he showed
that an improvement could be made.
Zahn showed a complete magic lantern, or Thaumaturga Lantern
(names originated by Kircher) or Megalographica Lantern (Great-
writing), because even little figures and images can appear life-like
in size. The system was complete: reflecting mirror to focus the
light, a lamp as the light source and two projection lenses forming
the projection system.
Zahn wrote, “Very great wonders are presented and set forth in
the magic lantern including the projection of light and curious
images.” He proves himself a showman by saying the purpose is to
create “the greatest admiration and enjoyment of those looking on.”
The regular magic lantern was, he said, “already well known.”
He developed some very ingenious improvements, including table
model projectors which set the pattern right to the end of the 19th
century. All that was later added was improved light sources
including, finally, electric light. (Illustrations facing page 64.)
Zahn for his theatre shows described how images could be
projected even under water. He stressed the importance of
concealing the projector in a separate room so that the audience
would not know the source of the magical vision.
In one model of the magic lantern Zahn explained how the glass
slides could be mounted on a circular disk which could be revolved in
front of the magic lantern lens. In other words, he took the disk
shown by Kircher and combined it with Kircher’s projector. But
Zahn’s modification was the dominant pattern used by later
experimenters, just before the dawn of the motion picture as we
know it. The first projector to show “motion pictures” from hand-
drawn slides was invented about 1851 by Franz von Uchatius and
looked very similar to this model of Zahn.
Zahn had also many curious applications, including the use of
the magic lantern to tell time or rather to project the correct time on
a great “clock” on the wall. Another application was the use of the
lantern, connected with a wind vane atop the structure to show the
direction the wind was blowing at the particular instant. (Illustration
facing page 65.)
J. Kunckelius, who wrote on the Glass Art, is credited by Zahn
with developing a good ink or paint to be used on the glass for the
magic lantern slides. This information was passed on by him to his
readers. From Kircher’s day until the invention of film and its use in
photography in the latter part of the 19th century, glass slides
formed the physical picture supports for practically every kind of a
magic shadow show.
Kircher’s magic lantern was established on a scientific basis in
the English-speaking world by the writing of William Molyneux, a
citizen of Dublin. Molyneux became an Irish patriot by taking a stand
against the contended right of the English Parliament to rule
Irishmen. He was a leader in the constitutional struggle for Irish
autonomy in the early part of the 18th century.
Molyneux, a professor at Trinity College, Dublin, included his
treatment of the magic lantern in his Dioptrica Nova, which the
censor passed on June 4, 1690 with the note, “I think this book is fit
to be printed.” But it was not published until two years later.
Molyneux, as other pioneers in this art-science, had his period of
exile. He wrote in Dioptrica Nova, “the present distractions of our
miserable country have separated me and my books.”
In the introduction Molyneux pointed out that up to then there
was nothing written in the English language on that part of
mathematics and, he said, “I am sure there are many ingenious
Heads, great Geometers, and Masters in Mathematics, who are not
so well skilled in Latin.” And certainly Molyneux was right, for the use
of the modern languages was expanding constantly in that period.
Molyneux had a low regard for Zahn, whom he called “a blind
transcriber from others” and asserted that he copied the errors of de
Chales.
An early section of the book was “On the Representation of
outward objects in a Dark Chamber; by a Convex Glass.” This was a
modified version of the natural camera, first set down carefully by da
Vinci and dating back to Roger Bacon.
Molyneux devoted a whole section to “The Explication of the
Magick Lantern, sometimes called Lanterna Megalographica” (that
last was one of the names Kircher gave to it). Molyneux scientifically
described a good model featuring a metal lantern and adjustable
lenses. He explained that the pictures to be shown were painted
with transparent colors on pieces of thin glass which were inverted
and placed in the projector. His comment on the type of picture is
entertaining: “This is usually some Ludicrous or frightful
Representation, the more to divert the Spectators.” “Horror” pictures
—and comedies—were born centuries before Hollywood.
Also discussed were focusing lenses, glass and concave mirrors,
adjustments in the picture focus, the throw from projector to the
screen.
However, Molyneux wished to keep strictly on the scientific and
scholarly side saying, “As to the Mechanick Contrivances of this
Lantern, the most Convenient Proportion of the Glasse, etc. this is so
ordinary amongst the common Glass Grinders that ’tis needless to
insist further thereon in this place. ’Tis sufficient to me that I have
explained the theory thereof.”
At the end of the volume there was an advertisement—it was
noted that all the instruments mentioned “are made and sold by
John Yarwell at the Archimedes and Three Golden Prospects, near
the great North Door in St. Paul’s Church-Yard: London.” This makes
John Yarwell the first recorded commercial dealer in the magic
shadow science.
In addition to Schott, Milliet de Chales, Zahn and Molyneux,
many travelling showmen such as Walgenstein, the Dane, introduced
the magic lantern and its magic shadow shows in great cities and
little hamlets of Europe. Some were professional entertainers,
accepting the projector as a new device; others were the
“vagabonds and imposters,” of the type condemned by Kircher. This
group recognized no law and copied and appropriated the magic
lantern projector whenever opportunity presented itself. There was
no copyright or other protection to restrain them. By the early part
of the 18th Century the magic lantern was commonplace and many
men were skilled in its use.
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