Description
Book SynopsisIn 1900, Paris had no skyscrapers, no tourist helicopters, no drones. Yet well before aviation made aerial views more accessible, those who sought such vantages had countless options available to them. They could take in the vista from an observation ride, see a painting of the view from Notre-Dame, or overlook a miniature model city. In Aeroscopics, Patrick Ellis offers a history of the view from above, written from below. Richly illustrated and premised upon extensive archival work, this interdisciplinary study reveals the forgotten media available to the public in the Balloon Era and after. Ellis resurrects these neglected spectacles as aeroscopics, opening up new possibilities for the history of aerial vision.
Trade Review"Aeroscopics opens new ground for media archeology, not just by adding a list of less-known media to the already very long list of recently rediscovered lost or forgotten media, but also by offering new perspectives on media we thought we knew, such as the panorama or the first aviation flights. It equally makes a great contribution to the broader concept of mechanical subjectivity, while healthily repeating to us the danger of tunnel vision and presentism."
* Leonardo *
"Aeroscopics is a complex but approachable book that will reward readers interested in a new understanding of visual media, including maps, in the nineteenth century.”"
* Imago Mundi *
"A lively exploration of the media of aerial vision." * Early Popular Visual Culture *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments
Introduction: Spotting the Spot
1. The Panoramic Altitude
2. The Panstereorama
3. Vertigo Effects
4. Observation Rides
5. The Aeroplane Gaze
Conclusion: First Flights
Notes
Index
