Voltaic Pile Collection

Holyhead Harbour Works...the Face of the Mountain after the Grand Blasting Operations... 1857. Creator: Unknown
Holyhead Harbour Works - View of the Face of the Mountain after the Grand Blasting Operations, Jan. 16, 1857: the Quantity of Quartz Rock Displaced 120, 000 Tons, by a Charge of 16

The Royal Institution electric battery, from Les Merveilles de la Science, pub. 1870
3614215 The Royal Institution electric battery, from Les Merveilles de la Science, pub.1870. by French School, (19th century); (add.info.: The Royal Institution electric battery)

Voltas battery (colour litho)
2807717 Voltas battery (colour litho) by French School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Voltas battery. Alessandro Volta demonstrating his invention to Napoleon. Inventions illustres)

The Electricity Fairy, costume for a fancy dress ball with battery, c. 1885 (colour litho)
CHT164144 The Electricity Fairy, costume for a fancy dress ball with battery, c.1885 (colour litho) by French School, (19th century); Bibliotheque des Arts Decoratifs, Paris

Alessandro Volta, Italian physicist (chromolitho)
974608 Alessandro Volta, Italian physicist (chromolitho) by European School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), Italian physicist

Alessandro Volta explaining the principle of his battery to Napoleon Bonaparte, 1800 (chromolitho)
1093304 Alessandro Volta explaining the principle of his battery to Napoleon Bonaparte, 1800 (chromolitho) by European School

Alessandro Volta, Italian physicist (chromolitho)
1094034 Alessandro Volta, Italian physicist (chromolitho) by French School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), Italian physicist, and his electric battery

Voltaic battery (pile), 1887. A battery of the type invented by Italian physicist Alessandro Volta (1745-1827). It consists of a disc of zinc, a disc of copper, a disc of cloth moistened with acid

Alessandro Voltas wet pile battery, 1800
Alessandro Voltas wet pile or battery, 1800. Italian physicist Volta (1745-1827) was the inventor of the voltaic pile, an early battery and the first source of current electricity

Alessandro Volta (1745-1827) Italian physicist. On the table are two of his inventions, the Voltaic pile (wet battery) on the left, and the electrophorus

COUNT ALESSANDRO VOLTA (1745-1827). Italian physicist. Portrait by an unknown artist, with a voltaic pile shown in the right foreground

Electricity, c. 1889 (plaster) (b / w photo)
XIR172161 Electricity, c.1889 (plaster) (b/w photo) by Barrias, Louis Ernest (1841-1905); Paris, France; (add.info.: Electricite; displayed at the Galerie des Machines; the Galerie was built for)

The first graphic depiction of the Voltaic pile, or electric battery. Copper engraving from Alessandro Voltas On
VOLTAIC PILE, 1800. The first graphic depiction of the Voltaic pile, or electric battery. Copper engraving from Alessandro Voltas " On the Electricity Excited by the Mere Contact of Conducting

Alessandro Voltas voltaic pile, constructed in 1800. Wood engraving, French, 19th century
VOLTAIC PILE, 1800. Alessandro Voltas voltaic pile, constructed in 1800. Wood engraving, French, 19th century

Manuscript drawing of Alessandro Voltas Voltaic pile, or electric battery
VOLTAIC PILE, 1801. Manuscript drawing of Alessandro Voltas Voltaic pile, or electric battery, from an 1801 letter sent by Volta to the French geologist Deodat de Dolomieu

Replica of the Voltaic pile invented by Alessandro Volta, 1800

VOLTAIC PILE, 1800. Alessandro Voltas voltaic pile, constructed in 1800. Wood engraving, French, 19th century

Early electric battery, 1850
Early electric battery. Historical artwork of a voltaic pile, the first modern type of electric battery, which was invented in 1800 by the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta (1745-1827)

Voltas battery. Historical illustration of the battery (or pile) made by the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta (1745-1827) in 1800

Hans Christian Oersted
Portrait of Hans Christian Oersted, a Danish physicist, 1777-1851. Oersted studied physical science and pharmacy in Copenhagen, where he later became professor of physics

Banks introduces the Voltaic Pile
On 20 March 1800 Volta wrote to the Royal Society in London announcing his discovery of an electric battery, known as Voltas pile

Becquerel, Antoine Cesar (1788-1878)
Antoine Cesar Becquerel, French physicist and chemist and one of the founders of electrochemistry. He made a special study of magnetism and the voltaic cell, and invented a number of instruments

Alessandro Volta, Italian physicist
Italian physicist Count Alessandro Volta (1745- 1827) posing with his newly-invented battery or " Voltaic pile"

William Nicholson and Anthony Carlisle
William Nicholson (1753-1815) English physicist and inventor and Anthony Carlisle (1768-1840), English surgeon. In 1800 Nicholson made the first Voltaic Pile constructed in England which he

Hans Christian Oersted
Portrait of Hans Christian Oersted, a Danish physicist, 1777-1851. Oersted studied physical science and pharmacy in Copenhagen, where he later became professor of physics

Royal Institution Battery 1807
Engraving showing the most powerful electric battery of the time at the London Institution. This was constructed by William Wollaston for Humphry Davy

Volta at the French Academy
Volta addressing the French Academy of Sciences in the presence of Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1800 Volta invented the Voltaic Pile. He was invited to Paris to demonstrate his invention

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The voltaic pile, also known as the Voltaic battery, is a remarkable invention that revolutionized the world of electricity. Developed by Italian physicist Alessandro Volta in 1800, this device paved the way for modern batteries and power sources. One captivating image from history showcases The Royal Institution electric battery, depicted in Les Merveilles de la Science publication from 1870. This illustration captures the intricate design of the voltaic pile and highlights its significance in scientific exploration. Another vibrant lithograph portrays Voltas battery, showcasing its colorful components and intricate structure. It serves as a visual testament to the ingenuity behind this groundbreaking invention. Intriguingly, an enchanting costume called "The Electricity Fairy" was created for a fancy dress ball around 1885. This imaginative attire incorporated a miniature battery into its design, emphasizing how deeply embedded it had become in popular culture. A chromolitho artwork depicts Alessandro Volta himself explaining his revolutionary battery's principle to none other than Napoleon Bonaparte in 1800. This encounter between two great minds symbolizes how significant this invention was even at that time. An additional chromolitho portrait of Alessandro Volta showcases his dedication to science and innovation. His contributions to physics through inventions like the voltaic pile solidified his place among history's greatest scientists. The wet pile version of Voltas' battery is captured beautifully in an image from 1800. Its simplicity yet effectiveness demonstrates why it became widely adopted across various fields requiring portable power sources during that era. Count Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), an Italian physicist whose brilliance knew no bounds when it came to electrical discoveries, is immortalized through another striking chromolitho portrait by an unknown artist. His legacy lives on through his groundbreaking work with batteries and electricity generation systems. These captivating images provide glimpses into both historical moments and artistic interpretations surrounding one man's invention that changed the course of science.