Ingenious

A hand-painted, large format magic lantern slide depicting a scene from the German fairy tale 'The Heart of Stone', painted by an unknown artist and shown at the Royal Polytechnic Institution, London in about 1860. A moral tale of the evils of the pursuit of material wealth the fairy story 'The Heart of Stone' was written by the German poet and author Wilhelm Hauff (1802-1827). The story is about Peter Munck, a charcoal-burner working in the Black Forest. In return for riches he trades his 'warm' heart for the 'cold' heart of an evil giant called Dutch Peter. Only after Peter kills his own wife does he realise his cruelty and attempt to get his own heart back. The Royal Polytechnic Institution in Regent Street, London, was renowned for its spectacular magic lantern shows employing as many as six huge lanterns projecting large, hand-painted slides eight inches (20.3 cm) by five inches (12.7 cm). Opened in 1838, the Royal Poytechnic Institution was a popular venue for educational displays, lectures and entertainment. It also offered a laboratory, gymnasium and swimming pool. In March 1841, Richard Beard (1802-1888) opened the first photographic studio in Europe on the roof of the Polytechnic.