Stereoscopy: The Dawn of 3-D

This book tells the astonishing and sometimes controversial story of the birth of stereoscopy, the phenomenon we now call 3-D, which entranced Victorian society and is the great-grandparent of today's virtual reality. Peering into a small, dark, magical box (a stereoscope!) an eager new audience in the 1850s was transported into another dimension. The immersive realism of 3-D beckoned to them to experience the far-flung wonders of the world without ever leaving their fireside. It was as if they were actually there amongst the Great Pyramids of Giza, or looking up at the Matterhorn, or standing in the rice fields of China. The realistic stereoscopic portraiture made them feel close to heroes they could never otherwise meet. They could enjoy current events at close quarters, and watch the construction of Brunel's Great Eastern ship on the banks of the Thames. And they could share sentimental scenes and a vast array of creative art in solid realism. Millions of images were printed, published and voraciously consumed by the public in just a few glorious years.

In these pages you will find for the first time the full account of the first 30 years of this extraordinary scientific, artistic and social revolution. You will also experience the pictures it created in full 3-D, just as they were originally intended to be viewed. Brian May's high-quality London Stereoscopic Company OWL viewer, included free in this deluxe package, is all you need to embark upon this visual journey of discovery. It all began in the mind of the Victorian genius Charles Wheatstone, several years before photography was even invented ...


Author: Denis Pellerin
Publisher: London Stereoscopic Company
Published: 11/30/2021
Pages: 216
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 4.15lbs
Size: 12.83h x 9.69w x 1.47d
ISBN: 9781838164508

About the Author
Pellerin, Denis: - Denis Pellerin, dedicated photo historian, was a teacher for over 30 years and has been interested in photography since the age of ten. He was bitten by the stereo bug in the 1980s, has been fascinated by the Diableries for over 25 years, and has written several books and articles on 19th-century stereo photography for various magazines, institutions and museums. He graduated with an MA in Art History at the Sorbonne in 1999 and has since been specializing in French and British Victorian genre stereo views.May, Brian: - Brian May, founder, member, songwriter and guitarist with the rock band Queen, and co-creator of the internationally successful rock theatrical, We Will Rock You, is also a Doctor of Astrophysics, a leading campaigner for animal rights, and a lifelong 3-D photography enthusiast. Most recently, he has become a successful publisher, dedicated to sharing his vast collection of Victorian stereo photographs with the world through the books released by the London Stereoscopic Company (a fond recreation of the highly successful company of the same name founded in 1854). Brian currently tours with Queen for much of the year with Adam Lambert as lead vocalist, as well as composing, recording and performing in collaboration with West End star Kerry Ellis, an original luminary of the cast of We Will Rock You. His many other recent projects include working on 3-D 360-degree virtual reality movies, and the movie, Bohemian Rhapsody, the award-winning biopic of Freddie Mercury. Brian lives in London with his wife, his partner for over thirty years, actress Anita Dobson.