Regency Illuminations
If you turned a corner at Vauxhall Gardens two centuries ago, you were likely to stumble across the Regency version of a hologram: a huge backlit transparency depicting a natural wonder like Fingal's cave (above), a battle victory, or a romantic scene from some far-off place. At a time when electric lighting was yet to be invented, the public was enthralled by these illuminations. Regency Illuminations In addition to huge public displays, transparencies were hot hobby trend for genteel ladies, who painted images on paper or lightweight fabrics like silk and muslin, [...]
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Outsiders Within – Romani in the Regency
By the time 'Gypsies' appeared on the pages of Jane Austen, Sir Walter Scott and Maria Edgeworth, Romani people had been in England for centuries. Sidebar: Believing the copper-skinned migrants to hail from Egypt, the Europeans had coined the term "Gypsies" for these migrants. Some consider [...]
