Skip to main content

Please note: this event has passed


"Professor Wheatstone, the inventor of the Stereoscope, was also there"

Thursday 21 June 2018; 18.30-20.00

Bush House. Main Auditorium

Come and join photo historian Denis Pellerin for a FREE 3-D talk celebrating the life and achievements of Charles Wheatstone and the 180th official birthday of STEREOSCOPY.

Charles Wheatstone started his professional career as a musical instrument maker and invented several instruments, including the Concertina. He was Professor of Experimental Philosophy at King's College London from 1834 to his death in 1875. On 21 June 1838, he presented to the Royal Society his newest invention, the Stereoscope, that enabled, even before photography was invented, re-creating the illusion of depth with two slightly different flat perspectives.

In his will Charles Wheatstone bequeathed all his library, instruments and papers to King's College. They have been preserved for future generations by King's College Archives and feature, among other treasures, the largest  collection of stereoscopic pairs for the Wheatstone reflecting stereoscope in the world.

The London Stereoscopic Company was re-created by Dr. Brian May in 2008 and has, like its illustrious predecessor, been promoting stereoscopy ever since through 3-D talks, 3-D books, stereo cards and the patented Owl viewer, designed by Dr. May.

Denis Pellerin has been the curator of Dr. May's collection of Victorian stereographs for the past five years and the director of The London Stereoscopic Company since 2015. Dr. Brian May and Denis Pellerin have co-authored three books to this day and are working on two more.

King's College Archives and the L.S.C. have teamed up to bring you this event.

A link to booking information on the Eventbrite page is available to the right: 'Register for this Event'.

 

Event details

Related departments