The History of Lighting
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The History of Lighting From Genesis all the way to Revelations (in a non-Biblical sense)
description
The History of Lighting. From Genesis all the way to Revelations (in a non-Biblical sense). In the Beginning…. Light has always been an important part of theatre, and life as well. The first action in the Bible was the creation of light. Plays by Man, lights by Nature. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of The History of Lighting
The History of LightingFrom Genesis all the way to Revelations
(in a non-Biblical sense)
In the Beginning…Light has always been an important part of
theatre, and life as well. The first action in the Bible was the creation of light.
Plays by Man, lights by NatureEarly lighting for plays was plain and simple.
From the Greeks to Medieval times, the only light source was the sun.
She lit up a candle and she showed me the way…Candles began to be used extensively in
1508, with the opening of the Teatro Olimpico.
Oil’s well that ends wellC. 1780 - Aime Argand develops the oil lamp.Oil lamps became commonly used in
households and theatres.
Most oil lamps of the periodUsed whale oil.
Cookin’ with gas1803 – Gaslight was developed by William
Murdoch1816 – First gaslight system installed in the
Chestnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia1840’s – the gas table invented to control
gaslights
The universal dream1816 – Charles Drummond invents a light
powered by calcium oxideThe light is used as the first spotlight in
historyThe greenish glow of the chemical reaction
leads to the term “limelight”
How a limelight works
1. A pilot light is used to provide a ready flame.2. Bottled oxygen and hydrogen is pumped in to light a flame3. The flame burns a cylinder of calcium oxide (2572° Celsius)4. A screw is used to raise and lower the cylinder, depending on the desired light level
FIRE!Artificial lighting until the late 19th century
utilized flames in some form or anotherThis led to many fires, and countless theatres
burning down
It’s electric! (boogie-oogie-oogie-oogie)1879 – Thomas Edison
invents the incandescent light bulb.
1881 – The Savoy Theatre in London installs the first electric lighting system.
By the 1890’s, most theatre houses had switched from gaslight to electrics.
Twentieth Century Lights1903 – The Kliegel brothers invent dimmers
to control electric lights
Spot on!1904 – Louis Hartmann invents the electric
spotlight for use in a play by David Belasco
Pronounced freh-NEL1929 – The Kliegl brothers invent the fresnel
light
Not ‘less you think round’s funny…1933 – The Kliegls invent the ellipsoidal
reflector spotlight.
Klieglight Leko Light
The Source is with you1992 – ETC introduces the world to the
Source4 ERS, a highly energy efficient and flexible lighting instrument.
Lighting todayLighting in theatre today is almost
exclusively electricOpen or closed flames are only used as
practical lighting
The FutureLED lights offer bright illumination using less
electricity than incandescent lampsWithin 10-15 years, LED fresnels will begin to
be the standard for stage lighting
