16. Camera Lucida, c. 1820

Signed: 'Dollond London'

This drawing aid invented by William Hyde Wollaston in 1806 was a product of the Romantic Movement. It superimposes by means of a prism a virtual image of any view on the plane of a drawing board so that it can be traced by the artist. Men of science such as Sir John Herschel were enthusiastic users, but Henry Fox Talbot disappointed with the results turned to photographic experiments.

Height 196 mm.
Inventory no. 95,918.