At the cinema in the 1700s.(Books about antiques)(Carmontelle's Landscape Transparencies: Cinema of the Englightenment)(Book review)

Every evening in Paris in the eighteenth century what were known as showmen took to the streets hawking their wares. The magic lantern was all the rage, and if the showman could offer up something new to the aristocrat he might be called inside to set up his device and entertain the resident and his guests. Voltaire made use of this form of entertainment with a narration by Madame du Chatelet that included stories that were so funny that they "would make you die laughing," wrote Madame de Graffigny. Soon other innovations were being made to alleviate boredom in the capital city.

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One was the creation of Louis Carrogis, known as Carmontelle, who in 1759 became part of the household of the Palais-Royal. Charged with educating the duc de Chartres in matters of warfare, he soon realized that he was to be on hand to perform many other functions. A painter, art critic, garden designer, man of the theater, and party planner, he devised any number of ways to delight and amuse, but was particularly intrigued by the possibilities offered by the emerging ways backgrounds were being created for theater productions and other entertainments.

New materials were being introduced all the time. Paper that had greater translucency was developed by the Englishman James Whatman, and improvements were made by his son, also James. Carmontelle became very adept at painting on this paper and developed a novel means of creating a continuous scrolling image that, in essence, was the origin of the moving picture. The painted roll was placed in a special box with an opening at the front and lit from behind, often by daylight through a window, the room was darkened, and the show began.

His first ...