Lantern slide

About the image medium

Name

Lantern slide

Notes

A lantern slide is a positive image on a glass slide intended for use with a slide projector or 'magic lantern'. Lantern slides may either be made from photographic or non-photographic images. Multiple slides, held in a single frame, were used in conjunction to represent motion or a change of state, such as an object catching fire. The popularity of photographic lantern slides grew from the 1870's, becoming something of a popular craze. Shows of such slides on subjects such as travel and science, as well as for pure entertainment, were common in the late 19th and early 20th century.

Subjects