Book of memories

Author	Étienne Gaspard Robertson
Title	"Mémoires récréatifs scientifiques et anecdotiques du phisicien-aéronaute E.G.Robertson ornés de planches et figures."
Printer	Imprimerie de Rignoux
Place	France
Date	1833
Register	03330

Memoirs of Étienne Gaspard Robert, alias Robertson (1763-1837). A physicist, flyer and lanternist, he was one of the first and main promoters of the magic lantern show called "phantasmagoria". It was a very complex projection of magic lantern in which lanterns of various types were involved, especially the phantoscope, retroprojections, projections on smoke, sound effects and a very prepared set and setting. The aim of the screening was to summon supposed spirits of the deceased, monsters, ghosts, spectres, demons, in an atmosphere of paranormal unreality. Robertson's first phantasmagoria show took place in 1798 in Paris, and was a great success with the audience. It was immediately copied and plagiarised by other lanternists. In 1803, Robertson acquired a hot air balloon with which he performed ascents and demonstrations in various European cities, where he combined it with the sessions of his phantasmagoria show. In 1811 he returned to Paris, where he continued with demonstrations of the hot air balloon and phantasmagorias. He died in 1837 and was buried in Paris. In his monumental tomb there are engraved images of ghost scenes.

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