We are building a Museum of Perspective; being a collection of early perspective instruments and related visual methods.
The museum includes historical records of visual instruments such as lenses, mirrors, windows, the perspective window and box, camera obscura and lucidia, early stereoscopes, etc. Direct viewing methods are explored, including optical illusions, panoramas, holograms, Virtual Reality (VR) systems, etc. Also held are timeline details of the history of image capture and viewing instruments, including various types of cameras, telescopes, binoculars, microscopes, etc.
The museum details the history of measuring instruments used for copying, mapping, modelling, and calculating aspects of spatial reality. For example, we collect early examples of the ruler, caliper, protractor, gauge, dial, slide rule, nautical slide rule, pantograph, planisphere, etc. Plus, we have extensive records of geographic/planetary/star map(s), sundials, and various kinds of compass (trigonometry, sector, and reduction).
Next, we collect details—and early examples—of image projection instruments, such as the zoetrope, kinetoscope, magic lantern, slide and film projector, etc. Finally, we do not neglect human vision, the eye, and visual perception; we collect details of early vision theories, models, and related images.
The Museum of Perspective works with our Library of Perspective to gather everything known on perspective, vision, imaging, and related spatial topics.
Astronomical Devices
The museum consists also of a collection of models of the most important gnomonic and astronomical devices, each of which with accompanying charts on which are explained both the projection methods they involve and the point of view they assure.
All gnomonic devices are effectively alternative means of systematically letting a plane intersect a shadow. Since some methods are as simple as putting a stick in the ground and other involve complex instruments, the history of such instruments arranged in terms of alternative projection techniques, brings to light another strand of the projection plane experiments prior to those of linear perspective.
Similarly, the planisphere and astrolabe begin from the premise that the equator is seen as a projection by someone standing at the south pole. The growing complexity of these techniques should also help us to understand better the history of man’s precise relations between viewing, point, projection plane and object beyond.
LATEST NEWS -- < 'Museum of Perspective' > -- The 'Museum of Perspective' is in development. Watch this space for more information. We appreciate your patience. Alan Radley -- 18.12.22 -- Dr Alan Radley FRSA | Scientific Director e: alansradley@gmail.com Perspective Research Centre www.perspectiveresearchcentre.com
You must be logged in to post a comment.