Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-31
FAMOUS PANoRAMAs.
Invssssd BY . scoschman In His Prise,

Invented by . Scotchman In uis Prison C~ll.
Paris Dispatch to the New York sun
NJ German Bapst delivered an interesting
lecture the other day 10 the societe Hissorique
Of the st. Union Club on panorsmas- The invcn-
ton. he said, was due to painter named Robt
Barker, who lived in Edinburgh toward the
close Of the last century. In l7s5 he. was i'm
prisoned for debt in the Scotch capital. His
cell was lighted by an air hole in one Of the
corners. which left the lower part OF the room
In such darkness that he could not read the
letters sent TO him. He found. however. that
wher he placed them against the part OF the
wall lighted by the air hole the words became
very distinct The effect was most striking
II occurred TO him that IL q picture were
placed in similar position il would
have wonderful effect Accordingly.
on his liberation. he made q series of expert
ments, which enabled him TO improve his in
vention, and on June l9. 1857. he obtained q
patent in London, which establishes his claim
to be the inventor Of the panorama The Lon
don artists spoke with great contempt Of
Barkers exhibition. Panoranlas had nothing
to do with art They were industrial specula-
nons, and nothing more. However, the opin-
ions OF the connoisscurs did not prevent the
public from rushing IN crowds 20 see those ex-
hibited in the Rotunda in Leicester square,
among which were a view of the English feet
at Portsmouth and the naval battle of June 1,
la95. the battle Of Aboukir and other battles
After his success in London Barker became
connected with Robert Fulton. so well known
In connection with the history of steam naviga-
ton. In 1876 he also introduced panoramas
into France, while Barker exhibited his London
pictures in Holland and the great German
eities- Everywhere he was well received by
the public, but the press was not so unsni-
mousiy in his favor. Thus Hamburg paper
said: "Ihs view of the port of Hamburg, with
Its innumerable ships. seen from the top of the
Baumhaus on bright day. is infinitely more
striking than the panorsmas Of Barker.
Robert Fulton sold the patent he had OBJ
tanned in France 70 NJ. Thuyer, and il was with
the proceeds that he able to devote his
attention to the utilization Of the steam engine
in navigation. Thuyer Ind two rotundss con-
structed on the Boulevard Montmartre in front
of the arcade which still bears the name OF the
Passage des Panoramas. There were exhibited
pictures by Pierre Provost and Constant BoGr-
geois. The Colosseum overlooking the Regents
Park wss erected in London at immense cost
and opened in 1929. The first view exhibited
in it was one of London taken from the dome
OF st. Pauls. This was followed by view of
Rome and afterward by one of Paris.
According to NJ. Bapst il was Col. Langlois
who made the first great improvement in pan
oramic exhibition. The view of the Battle Of
Navarino was the FIRST exhibited on the new
plan. The picture was 30 skillfully combined
with material objects placed in front Of il that
illusion was almost perfect. In speaking of the
panoramas still exhibited NJ Bapst referred to
the view Of Rio Janeiro by Messrs. Merelle and
Lanycrock, the bombardment Of the Fort a Issy
by Philippotaux, in the Rotonde of the Champs
Elysees, and the Bataille de Rezonville by
Messrs. Neuville and Detaille in the Ro:onde Of
the Rue de Berry.
The lecturer said that the latter was the best
executed and most perfect work Of the kind.
The jury Of the last exhibition conferred on it
the Grand Prix d'Honneur. the first ever
ing NJ. Bapst said that il would be enough TO
enumerate the names of the great painters
who had devoted their talents to the production
of panoramss to prove that they were not 20 be
placed among the inferior works of art. They
required for their production not only solid
and brilliant qualities but special knowledge
and consummate skill in overcoming difficulties
which were not encountered by the ordinary
landscape painter.