Camera Obscura Collection

An engraving depicting a method of using a camera obscura as a drawing aid, 19th century
5311353 An engraving depicting a method of using a camera obscura as a drawing aid, 19th century; (add.info.: Date: 1855); Universal History Archive/UIG.

Fontanellato, Rocca Sanvitale: the XIX century optical chamber, (photo)
5895151 Fontanellato, Rocca Sanvitale: the XIX century optical chamber, (photo); (add.info.: Fontanellato, Rocca Sanvitale: la camera ottica ottocentesca)

An engraving depicting a method of using a camera obscura as a drawing aid, 19th century
5311410 An engraving depicting a method of using a camera obscura as a drawing aid, 19th century; (add.info.: Date: 1855); Universal History Archive/UIG.

"The Science Record" (New York, 1874)
2603655 "The Science Record" (New York, 1874).; (add.info.: Aids to drawing: The field camera' Sketching with the aid of a portable tent - type camera obscura)

Design: Camera Obscura, from Encyclopédie, 1762/77. Creator: A. J. Defehrt
Design: Camera Obscura, from Encyclopedie, 1762/77

Design: Camera Obscura, from Encyclopédie, 1762/77. Creator: A. J. Defehrt
Design: Camera Obscura, from Encyclopedie, 1762/77

Principle of the camera obscura, wood engraving, published in 1877
Principle of the camera obscura. Woodcut engraving, published in 1877

The Academy of Sciences and Fine Arts (pen & ink & wash on paper)
XIR414657 The Academy of Sciences and Fine Arts (pen & ink & wash on paper) by Le Clerc, Sebastien I (1637-1714); 20.3x35.2 cm; Bibliotheque de l Ecole des Beaux-Arts, Paris

Theater at the National Export Exposition, Philadelphia, 1899 (b / w photo)
3560719 Theater at the National Export Exposition, Philadelphia, 1899 (b/w photo) by American Photographer, (19th century); Free Library of Philadelphia; eFree Library of Philadelphia; American

Illustration of Giulio Troilis idea of using a pantograph to draw in perspective
XJF347900 Illustration of Giulio Troilis idea of using a pantograph to draw in perspective, from the original published in 1683 (engraving) (b/w photo) by Italian School

Camera Obscura (engraving)
5999409 Camera Obscura (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Camera Obscura. Illustration for The Museum of Science and Art edited by Dionysius Lardner)

Camera Obscura (engraving)
3634538 Camera Obscura (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Camera Obscura. An apparatus by means of which a reduced tracing may be made of natural objects)

Camera Obscura (engraving)
664933 Camera Obscura (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Camera Obscura. Illustration for Blackies Modern Cyclopedia (1899)

The Camera Obscura (engraving)
3628874 The Camera Obscura (engraving) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Camera Obscura)

Apparatus for translating three-dimensional objects into two-dimensional drawings
XAM77576 Apparatus for translating three-dimensional objects into two-dimensional drawings, two scenes from the artists first technical book Introduction in the Art of Measurement with Compass

Laterna Magica, 1786-1788. Creator: Abildgaard, Nicolai Abraham (1743-1809)
Laterna Magica, 1786-1788. Found in the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen

Camera obscura. From Encyclopedie by Denis Diderot and Jean Le Rond d Alembert, 1751-1765. Private Collection

Ars magna lucis et umbrae, 1646. Creator: Kircher, Athanasius (1602-1680)
Ars magna lucis et umbrae, 1646. Private Collection

Comparative depiction of the human eye and the camera obscura, 18th century. Creator: Anonymous
Comparative depiction of the human eye and the camera obscura, 18th century. Private Collection

Camera Obscura, 1671. From Ars Magna by Athanasius Kircher. (Amsterdam, 1671)

Portable tent type of camera obscura, 1764. The device is placed on a table so that it could be used to draw the landscape projected down onto a sheet of white paper on the table

Children watching an outdoor scene through a camera obscura, 1887. From Natural Philosophy by A Ganot. (London, 1887)

Illustration of the principle of the camera obscura, 1671. Showing how the image of the lighted face on the left appears inverted on the wall of the darkened chamber on the right

Camera obscura, 1561. Projecting a solar eclipse into a darkened room through a small hole, showing how the image is inverted. From Problematum Astronomicorum by Daniele Santbech. (Basel, 1561)

Camera obscura, 1646. A double camera obscura, rather out of scale, showing an image of a man burning in Hell. The image was produced by light from a lamp which travelled down the lens

Where Ignorance is Bliss, 1868. Artist: George Du Maurier
Where Ignorance is Bliss, 1868. Invasion of privacy by a seaside camera obscura (left). Theodore thinks he has found a private spot where he can woo Emily

Camera obscura, c1840. The illustration shows how the scene outside was collected by a mirror tilted at 45 degrees (B), passed through a meniscus lens between F and C

Camera obscura, 1855. Drawing a landscape using a portable camera obscura in the form of a tent. From The Museum of Science and Art by Dionysius Lardner. (London, 1855)

Seaside visitors paying a visit to the camera obscura, 1862. The viewers sat in a darkened chamber: the scene around was collected by the mirror (A) and passed through a convex lens (B)

Observation towers Saxony Camera obscura Hainichen
Observation towers in Saxony, Camera obscura, Hainichen, 1909, Landkreis Mittelsachsen, Anlagen mit Pilz und Aussichtsturm, Germany

Parks Saxony Camera obscura Hainichen 1905 Landkreis Mittelsachsen
Parks in Saxony, Camera obscura, Hainichen, 1905, Landkreis Mittelsachsen, Anlagen mit Pilz und Sieh Dich um, Germany

Parks Saxony Camera obscura Hainichen 1903 Landkreis Mittelsachsen
Parks in Saxony, Camera obscura, Hainichen, 1903, Landkreis Mittelsachsen, Anlagen mit Pilz und Sieh Dich um, Germany

Book-form camera obscura Nekes collection optical devices
Book-form camera obscura, Nekes collection of optical devices, prints and games, Camera obscura, ca. 1750, Camera obscura: wood, glass, and leather. When open, the device measures 56 cm. in height

Vintage travel camera
Antique illustration engraving of a Vintage travel camera

Marey photocronography
Antique illustration of a Marey photocronography

Stereoscopic camera
Antique illustration of a Stereoscopic camera

Artists Studio
BAL47976 Artists Studio by Boilly, Louis Leopold (1761-1845); Pushkin Museum, Moscow, Russia; French, out of copyright

The first published illustration of a camera obscura, which is registering the solar eclipse of 24 January 1544
CAMERA OBSCURA, 1544. The first published illustration of a camera obscura, which is registering the solar eclipse of 24 January 1544. Drawing by the 16th century Dutch scientist, Rainer Gemma-Frisius

The Science Record (New York, 1874)
Aids to drawing: The field camera Sketching with the aid of a portable tent - type camera obscura. Behind the lens mounted on top of the tent is a mirror angled at 45 degrees

Light Raypaths through Lenses and Prisms C017 / 3485
Plate from 18th century encyclopedia showing light raypaths through lenses and prisms, a magic lantern and a camera. Also shown is a method for calculating the height of buildings by using

Clifton Observatory. Tower on Clifton Down, Bristol, UK, used as a viewing point and observatory from 1828. This building, situated on a 92-metre-high cliff overlooking the Avon Gorge

Camera Obscura, Douglas, Isle of Man, Europe

CAMERA OBSCURA, 1646. The large camera obscura constructed in Rome, Italy, by Athanasius Kircher in 1646, shown with the top and front cut away. Line engraving, 17th century

Illustration of a camera obscura
Camera obscura. Woodcut illustration showing the principle whereby an image of an object may be formed by a small aperture in a wall, and that the image will appear inverted

Early form of magic lantern, 17th century
Early magic lantern. Illustration depicting a very early form of magic lantern. Light enters the window at left and reflects from a framed mirror to illuminate designs on an octagonal drum

Scotland, Edinburgh, Camera Obscura. The Camera Obscura is located on a tower which had originally been the townhouse of the old Larid of Cockpen

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The camera obscura, a principle dating back centuries, has captivated artists and scientists alike. In 1877, a wood engraving was published depicting this ingenious invention. The Academy of Sciences and Fine Arts showcased the camera obscura's magic through pen, ink, and wash on paper. Fast forward to 1899 in Philadelphia at the National Export Exposition where a black-and-white photograph captured the theater adorned with this optical device. Giulio Troili's brilliant idea of using a pantograph to draw in perspective is illustrated here. Engravings of the camera obscura itself are displayed multiple times - each one showcasing its intricate design and functionality. This apparatus served as a bridge between three-dimensional reality and two-dimensional drawings. In 1786-1788, Laterna Magica was created by Nicolai Abraham Abildgaard - an enchanting depiction that further highlights the allure of this phenomenon. Encyclopedie by Denis Diderot and Jean Le Rond d'Alembert from 1751-1765 also featured the camera obscura as an essential element worth exploring. However, it was Athanasius Kircher who truly delved into its secrets with his work "Ars magna lucis et umbrae" in 1646. His exploration shed light on how light interacts with shadows within this remarkable contraption. The camera obscura remains an enduring symbol of innovation bridging artistry and science throughout history - capturing imaginations then as it does now.