Ballonist Collection

cartoon of Nadar, c. 1878 (hand-coloured engraving)
2646289 cartoon of Nadar, c. 1878 (hand-coloured engraving) by Gill, Andre (1840-85); Private Collection; (add.info.: Frontpage of french paper " Les hommes d Aujourd hui" november 1st)

Solemnity of the World - On the way to a Flower Festival
Solemnity of the World - On the way to the Flower Festival. Date: 1837

Tribute to French ballonist Henri Giffard in the form of a handwritten French text shaped as a balloon, inside a printed floral border, Clarey & Gibert, Tours. 1878, Tribute written by Mr

Vincenzo Lunardi (1759-1806) Italian aeronaut

Tribute To French Ballonist Henri Giffard In The Form Of A Handwritten French Text Shaped As A Balloon, Inside A Printed Floral Border, Clarey & Gibert, Tours. 1878, Tribute Written By Mr

The Balloon (1862) by Edouard Manet C016 / 8985
The Balloon (1862). Lithograph by French artist Edouard Manet (1832-1883) of a balloon flight taking place in Paris, France, on 15 August 1862

Muzzis Retirremiga airship, 1880s
Muzzis Retirremiga airship. 19th-century artwork of the ascent of the Retirremiga airship designed by Italian aeronaut Muzio Muzzi in the 1880s. A patent on this design was granted in 1884

Berlin Balloon Race, 1908 C016 / 4510
Berlin Balloon Race, 1908. Gas balloons competing in Berlin, Germany. The main competition that year was for the Gordon Bennett Cup (Coupe Aeronautique Gordon Bennett)

Tribute to French ballonist Henri Giffard in the form of a handwritten French text shaped as a balloon, inside a printed floral border. Tribute written by Mr

John Wise, aeronaut
John Wise (1808-1879), American balloonist, born in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA. He made his first balloon ascent in Philadelphia in 1835

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Celebrating the pioneering spirit of early balloonists, this captivating image pays tribute to Henri Giffard, the French inventor of the first powered airship in 1852. The handwritten French text shaped as a balloon reads, "Hommage à Henri Giffard," honoring his groundbreaking achievements. Joining him in this nostalgic journey are notable figures such as Italian aeronaut Vincenzo Lunardi, depicted in a cartoon from Chicago University's archives (c. 1878), and the enigmatic Nadar, captured in a hand-coloured engraving from the same era. The whimsical Muzzis Retirremiga airship from the 1880s and the Berlin Balloon Race of 1908 add to the intrigue. Lastly, John Wise, an American aeronaut, completes this captivating collection of early aviation history. From the Solemnity of the World on the way to a Flower Festival, these balloonists have left an indelible mark on our imagination, as immortalized in Edouard Manet's iconic painting, "The Balloon" (1862).