Man with a large beard in bed, mid 19th century.

Magic lantern slide of a man with a very large, dark beard lying in bed. He is wearing a night-cap and there is a bird at the side of his bed behind the pillow. Magic lantern shows began towards the end of the 17th century but only became more widespread and popular in the 19th century with the improvement in lamp sources. The shows could range from simple didactic presentations (a favourite topic was the demon drink) to sophisticated shows using double or triple lanterns to produce moving and disolving images on the screen and, in the case of Phantasmagoria, an eerie, magical experience.