Background and Scope of the Images
The Tissandier Collection offers 420 images documenting the early history
of aeronautics with an emphasis on balloon flight in France and other
European countries. Subjects include general and technical images of
balloons, airships, and flying machines; portraits of famous balloonists;
views of numerous ascensions, accidents, and world’s fairs; cartoons
featuring balloon themes; pictorial and textual broadsides; and colorful
ephemera and poster advertisements. There are also several hundred illustrations
clipped from books and newspapers. The pictures, created by many different
artists, span the years 1773 to 1910, with the bulk dating 1780-1890.
The Tissandier brothers, Gaston and Albert, assembled the pictures
from various sources. Gaston Tissandier (1843-1899) was a balloonist
and science writer. Albert (1839-1906) was a balloonist and illustrator.
The Tissandier Brothers’ Aeronautical Work
The collection is rich in images of flights the Tissandier brothers
participated in as well as flights they observed between 1865 and 1885.
For example, Gaston Tissandier flew over enemy lines during the Siege
of Paris in 1870, and Albert made drawings of several balloons that
were used to carry passengers and supplies over enemy lines. While Gaston
tested the limits of balloon ascension, Albert made drawings of natural
phenomena in the upper atmosphere. As a team, the brothers developed
a design for an electric powered airship in 1885.
[Gaston Tissandier, French balloonis...] Drawing, 1886.
|
Voyages aèriens de M.M. Albert et Gaston Tissandier. Drawing by
Albert Tissandier, 1870-1880
|
History of Balloon Flight and Early Balloonists
Historical prints document the first balloon ascensions in 1783, which
demonstrated the feasability of lighter-than-air craft. Approximately
87 portrait prints depict aeronauts who promoted ballooning through
public events (Vincent Lunardi, Jean Pierre Blanchard, and Marie-Madeleine-Sophie
Armand Blanchard) or scientists and inventors who developed the technology
(Joseph-Michel Montgolfier, Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier and Nicholas
Conte).
Exp[é]rience a[ë]rostatique faite Versailles le 19 sept. 1783.
Etching, 1783.
|
M.S. Blanchard, celebre aeronauta,.... Lithograph, 1811.
|
Balloon Ascensions for the Public
By the late 1870s, captive balloons enabled the public to share the
experience of flight by riding in the basket of a balloon tethered to
the ground. In addition to posters and text broadsides announcing these
events, the actual tickets used to board are included in the pictorial
ephemera.
Grand ballon captif a vapeur de Mr. Henry Giffard... Wood engraving,
1879
|
Panorama de Paris ... Lithograph, 1878.
|
Airship Designs
The challenge of powering a balloon led to the development of the airship,
a generic term used for dirigibles, blimps and zeppelins. The collection
contains approximately 30 design drawings for balloons with navigation
devices such as sails and oars. A number of these drawings were submitted
for patents. Also included are designs for flying machines and other
examples of heavier-than-air craft.
Flugmaschine. Erfunden von Jacob Degen ... Engraving, ca. 1810.
|
Navire aérien, le poisson volant ... Lithograph by Camille Vert,
1859?
|
Humorous Images with Balloons
The collection includes numerous cartoons, caricatures, comic stories,
and humorous drawings that illustrate the incorporation of balloon imagery
into a wide variety of situations.
I volatori. Les messieurs qui volent. Lithograph, 1880.
|
Voyage a la lune. Lithograph, 1865-1870.
|
(Click the images above to see full size versions
of the images.
These are the same size as the images on the CD.)
Here are the computer
requirements to run and operate this CD. You must have a PC running
Windows or a Macintosh running OS X or higher software and a web browser.
|
