Improvements in Means for Producing Illusions and Scenic Effects.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Mar., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 4th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 4th Jan., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Means for Producing Illusions and Scenic Effects.
I LOUIS CLOQUET of Rue St. Pierre Gand in the Kingdom of Belgium
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to bo as follows:-
This invention relates to improved means for producing illusions and scenic
effects such as have been partially obtained by panoramas and which I will refer
to by the name of "Oloraina."
Tho said means consist in providing on the concave wall of a spherical body
or partly spherical body an interior or exterior view or scene which is to be seen
from the central point of the said sphere.
Panoramic paintings hitherto employed form a means for producing illusions
in views which represent outdoor scenes and which are seen on all sides from a
known point near to the horizon, and consist in a painting of the views or scone
on a circular surface stretched in a rotunda in which the spectator occupies the
central spot. The picture is necessarily limited to but a small height above the
horizon as in ordinary panoramas there is a ceiling or screen arranged above
which arrests the visual rays or liua of sight. Panoramas 80. constructed do
not allow of the interior of buildings to be represented with complete illusion or
outdoor scenes in which objects are shown near at hand.
These disadvantages are overcome by means of the "Olorama" which allows
the spectator to look vertically as well as horizontally and to raise his eyes even to
the zenith and scenes painted according to my invention whether exterior or
internal views will give a complete illusion and especially in the case of a scene
representing the interior of a building when the spectator appears to be in the
actual building itself.
The surface to be painted on may be arranged in various ways some of which I
will now describe.
The picture may be painted on the internal surface of a half sphere or a portion
of a sphere exceeding a half sphere being bounded on its lower side by a horizontal
plane the spectator being supposed to be at the centre of the sphere. The interior
of a monument or the like may thus be seen and examined on all sides by a spectator
situated in the centre.
Or the painting may bo executed on the interior of a quarter sphere or a section
of a sphere exceeding a quarter a horizontal plane being provided corresponding
to the ground or other surface and a vertical plane passing either through or
outside the centre of the said aphere. The spectator is again supposed to occupy
the centre and to look at the painting through an opening formed in the vertical
plane.
Or the surface for the painting may be formed by uniting a cylindrical surface
to a spherical surface thus forming a combination of the "Olorama" with the
ordinary panorama or I may impart to the "Olorama " an ellipsoidal or any other
Buitable shape.
The lines in the painting are drawn according to the rules of a form of
perspective which I will call spherical perspective and the actual lines of an
bject to be traced on the curved surface of the picture are formed by finding the
point of intersection on the said curved surface with the visual rays directed on
the principal objects to be reproduced. When for example straight lines are to
be reproduced a string or the like is stretched across a portion of tho interior of

page_text: the sphere, and a suitable light is placed in the central part thereof where the
spectator stands, so as to throw a shadow of the string on to the picture which is
the actual line required. When it is required to, represent curved linos I make
ase of discs in a similar manner and the contour of the shadow thrown by the
light indicates the line required on the picture..
The walls for the painting are suitably arched or curved and formed for example
of cloth or felt or of open metal trellis work coated with a material suitable for
receiving the painting.
The "Olorama" may be lighted by various menos.
1. I may arrange reflectors suitably placed so as to be concealed from the
spectator as has already been done with panoramas.
2. In the case of a painting representing the interior of a building I make use
of the window bays, doors, arcades or the like shown therein and allow the light
from any source to pass therethrough either unshaded, or through a transparent or
translucent surface which is substituted for the opaque surface of the picture.
This transparent surface is found specially adapted for use in the case where
stained glass is represented.
3. I employ concentric cupolas or the like operating in a similar manner to the
sliding panels used in theatres but having curved instead of plane surfaces and
representing different parts of the building receding in perspective. A light
suitably coloured and shaded is arranged between the surfaces of the cupolas.
For example, I may employ three cupolas, the innermost one of which is partially
cut away to represent an arcado so as to allow the spectator to see on n second
plane the second or central cupola in which apertures representing windows are
formed. The external or third cupola seen through the said windows is painted to
represent a view of the country outside the building. It will be understood that
it is only necessary to paint the external and intermediate cupolas at the parts
which are exposed to view through openings in the internal cupola.
Dated this 6th day of March 1895.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's lon Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
Improvements in Means for Producing Illusions and Scenic Effects..
I Louis CLOQUET of Rue St. Pierre Gand in the Kingdom of Belgium
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the sanie is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improved means for producing illusions and scenic
effects such as have been partially obtained by panoramas and which I will refer
to by the name of "Olorama." The said means consist in providing on the
concave wall of a spherical body or partly spherical body an interior or exterior
view or scene which is to be seen from the central point of the said sphere.
Panoramic paintings hitherto employed form a means for producing illusions in
views which represent outdoor scenes and which are seen on all sides from a known
point near to the horizon and consist in a painting of the view or scene on a
circular surface stretched in a rotunda in which the spectator occupies the contral
spot. The picture is necessarily limited to but a small height above the horizon
as in ordinary panoramas there is a ceiling or soreen arranged above which arrests
the visual rays or line of sight. Panoramas so constructed do not allow of the
interior of buildings to be represonted with complete illusion or outdoor scenes in.
which objects are shown near at hand in large elevation.

page_text: These disadvantages are overcome by means of the "Olorama” which allows
the spectator to look vertically as well as horizontally and to raise his eyes even to
the zenith, and scenes painted according to my invention whether exterior or
internal views will give a complete illusion, and especially in the case of a scene
representing the interior of a building when the spectator appears to be in the
actual building itself.
The surface to be painted on may be arranged in various ways some of which I
will now describe with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 shows in vertical section an arrangement of a half sphere or a portion
of a sphere exceeding a half sphere.. Figure 2 shews this arrangement in horizontal
section. The portion of the sphere is bounded on its lower side by a horizontal
plane A the eye of the spectator being supposed to be at the centre O of the sphere.
The interior of a monument or the like may thus be represented and exatuined on
all sides by a spectator situated in the centre.
Figures 3 and 4 slew in vertical and horizontal section respectively an arrange-
ment corresponding to a quarter sphere or a portion of a sphore exceeding a quarter
bounded towards its lower part by a horizontal plane B, corresponding to the
ground or by any other surface and by a vertical plane C, passing either through
or outside the centre of the said sphere. The eye of the spectator is again
supposed to occupy the centre O and to look at the painting through an opening
formed in the vertical plane C.
Figures 5 and 6 shew in vertical and horizontal section respectively an arrange-
ment in which the surface for the painting may be formed by uniting a cylindrical
surface to a spherical surface thus forming a combination of the "Olorama" shown
in Figures 3 and 4 with the ordinary panorama, the point O always denoting the
oye of the spectator, or I may impart to the "Olorama" an ellipsoidal or any other
suitable shape.
The lines in the picture are drawn according to the rules of a form of perspective
which will call spherical perspective and the actual lines of an object to be traced
on the curved surface of the picture are forined by finding the point of intersection
on the said curved surface with the visual rays directed on the principal points of
the object to be reproduced. Figure 7 shows the manner of procedure when for
examplo straight lines are to be reproduced. a cb is a string or the like repro-
senting the straight line to be projected on the picture a suitable light O is placed
at the spot where the spectator stands and a c is the shadow of the string thrown
onto the picture by the light O which is the actual line required. When it is
required to represent curved lines I make use of discs as shewn in Figure 8 and
the contour of the shadow thrown by the light indicates the line required on the
picture.
The painting is inado on walls suitably arched or curved and formed for example
of cloth or felt or of open metal trellis work coated with a material suitable for
receiving the painting.
"
The Olorama may be lighted by various means. I may arrange reflectora
suitably placed so as to be concealed from the spectator as has already been done
with panoramas. In the case of a painting representing the interior of a building
I make use of the window bays, doors, arcades or the like shown therein and allow
the light from any source to pass theruthrough either unshaded, or through a
transparent or translucent surface which is substituted for the opaque surface of
the picture. This transparent surface is found specially adapted for use in the
case where stained glass is represented.
Figure 9 gives an oxample of this means of lighting.
I employ concentric cupolas or the like operating in a similar manner to tho
sliding panels used in theatres but having curved instead of plane surfaces and
representing different parts of the building receding in perspective. A light
suitably coloured and shaded is arranged between the surfaces of the cupolas.
Figures 10 and 11 shew by way of example in vertical and horizontal section
respectively an arrangement of this kind. The innermost cupola A. C. B, is cub

page_text: away to represent an arcade A, C, E (Figure 10) so as to allow the spectator
placed at to see on a second plane another cupola M N in which apertures S
representing windows are formed. The external cupola X. Y. carries a painting
representing a view of the country outside the building. It will be understood
that it is only necessary to paint the external and intermediate cupolas at the parts
which are exposed to view through openings in the internal cupola.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A new arrangement for producing illusions or scenic effects consisting in
reproducing an external view iucluding the sky, aud an interior of a building
including the roof and the like on a concavo spherical or other surface or on two
or more concave surfaces enveloping each other arranged with intervening spaces
and either bounded by a plane surface or extending into a panoramic painting on a
cylindrical surface substantially as hereinbefore described."
2. The several improved means for producing oloramic pictures substantially as
berein before described and illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 of the accompanying
drawinga.
3. In combination with the arrangements described in the first claiming clause
the improved means for lighting or illuminating the same by means of reflectors
suitably arranged or by causing the rays from one or several sources of light
suitably situated, to pass between the euveloping surfaces constituting the oloramic
picture itself substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 10
and 11 of the accompanying drawings.
4. The arrangement for lighting or illuminating oloramic pictures consisting in
making use of the window bays or other openings in the picture itself in order to
pass therethrough by hollows in the wall of the picture corresponding to the
painted bays, the rays from a suitably arranged source of light substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in Figure 9 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of December 1895.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, Loudon, W.C., Agente.