La vuelta al mundo de la linterna mágica en 80 vistas

Abstract

Although the magic lantern developed a prosperous equipment industry and satisfied a varied consumer demand based on the development of very sensible expressive systems, its study has been left out of the academic curriculum in the history of mass media. The fact that the sources and documentation concerning magic lanterns are widely scattered has been an obstacle for their systematic study. Both their long history –over three centuries- and the controversy in historical interpretation caused by locating them under the term ‘precinema' have meant that they lack a conceptual definition. This in turn has been a hindrance for considering magic lanterns as an important research subject.