KAGA, New Zealand, Landscape

Travel was one of the most popular topics for magic lantern shows. Audiences were quite literally taken on a journey through stories of old and new destinations. As a result, immersion and aesthetics are so pervasive in these presentations that we can also discern them in seemingly scientific, objective glass slides. This is evident in the slides from the Royal Geographical Society of Antwerp, whose archives are preserved in the Special Collections of the University of Antwerp's library. The glass slide featured above perfectly embodies what made the magic lantern so successful; the inseparable link between education and entertainment. Although specific tree species are depicted, as indicated on the slide's label, it is primarily the aesthetic of the image that catches the eye. The towering trees and the tiny people on the ground captivate the viewer's imagination, and ultimately, it is this kind of visual language that resonated with the audience and made the magic lantern such a successful mass medium.