“AN ERUPTION OF VESUVIUS.”
The designer describes this effect as follows:
“In describing the window as seen through the plate glass, one can easily imagine he is looking at a bit of nature, only in a miniature form. In the foreground, moored to a dock, is seen a gondola, majestically rising and falling upon an effect that looks precisely like a deep, clear body of water, with a slow, even motion so perfect that it is impossible to determine when it begins or stops. In the distance old Vesuvius is belching fire and lava, which looks so real it is hard to believe it is only an illusion.”
The drawing will at a glance give a fair idea of the mechanical contrivance used to obtain these effects.
DIAGRAM SHOWING MECHANISM OF THE VOLCANO AND MOON EFFECTS’.
The rising and falling motion to the water effect was made on the plan of scale beams, as can be seen in drawing. Cords were fastened to ends of levers marked ‘B’ and passing them under rollers ‘E’ and hooking the other ends to crank-wheel ‘C.’ As wheel ‘C’ would revolve it pulled levers down, causing center, containing water effect, on which was placed the gondola, to rise, and in turn the weight of the gondola would cause the center to fall when levers were released by wheel. I used window weights to balance it, allowing center to be heavy enough to sink of its own weight.
DESIGN SHOWING THE “ERUPTION OF VESUVIUS.”—Shogran.
The water effect was obtained by placing a piece of double strength window glass, 3 ft. × 3 ft. 6 in. on the frame, the detail of which you will find illustrated. Underneath it I placed a canvas frame painted near the same shade as the water in the foreground of my canvas representing Vesuvius. On the top of said frame I puffed loosely very fine veiling. I also puffed the veiling on top glass. The painted canvas frame gave me the water color, the glass, the realistic reflection, and the veiling mystified the whole. Hence a perfect water illusion, well worth trying. The fire and lava belching from the crater of mountain I obtained in the following manner: I first covered the entire canvas on back with heavy paper, making it perfectly opaque, then I tore a hole, beginning at the top or crater of mountain, about 5 inches wide, widening gradually as I went upwards, and to one side. Then I cut several openings large enough to admit little streaks of light on the left slope of mountain to represent lava running down the side, above which I cut a round hole for the moon; all which can be plainly seen in the picture. Back of opening representing lava I pasted different shades of red paper (tissue paper) and back of moon yellow. Back of the large opening at the top of mountain I placed a large wheel made of two layers of red tissue paper with little tufts of grey wadding between. Back of this wheel, exactly opposite the opening representing the crater, I placed a lamp. When set in motion I had the most beautiful representation of real, burning fire. As the different thicknesses of the wheel would pass the lamp they were illuminated, and as they passed on up they would cool off and finally die, disappearing in the smoke and steam, which was represented by carefully tufted white and grey cotton on the front of canvas. Two lamps higher up illuminated the smoke and steam in the sky; another to light up streaks of lava seen on the left slope; and the fifth lamp for the moon, which threw its yellow glow in beautiful contrast to the ever raging, burning flames from the crater of Vesuvius. In conclusion, I wish to say that I know my attempt at describing these effects is a failure, compared to seeing them in reality.
Mr. Shogran won a gold medal for inventing this fine effect.