Magic lantern slide of a man serenading a woman while balancing on top of a large barrel filled with water. He is playing his guitar and singing to the woman who watches from a window. In another slide, he has fallen into the water. Magic lantern shows began towards the end of the 17th century but only became more widespread and popular in the 19th century with the improvement in lamp sources. The shows could range from simple didactic presentations (a favourite topic was the demon drink) to sophisticated shows using double or triple lanterns to produce moving and disolving images on the screen and, in the case of Phantasmagoria, an eerie, magical experience.
© National Media Museum / Science & Society Picture Library