Fire at the Tower of London, mid 19th century

Fire at the Tower of London, mid 19th century. Magic lantern slide showing the Great Fire of London raging, watched by a huge crowd of people. Although the fire reached the gates, the Tower survived. 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 dissolving images on the screen and, in the case of Phantasmagoria, an eerie, magical experience. ©SSPL/National Media Museum