Zograwaht?

A Zograscope is a device by which the user can view an idealistic 3-D scene. In some ways it put you into a virtual reality. So now that I have perked your curiosity, you may wonder where you can get one. Well, you need go no farther than England, about 250 years ago. This device was made popular by the “polite society.” These people wanted to experience public spaces and monuments but did not want to deal with the issues of being in public.

You may ask, what is a zograscope? Well, it is a device with at least a convex lens and a perspective print. Fancier models often contained a mirror. Through the interaction of the convex lens, the perspective print and the magic of some spherical aberration, a 3-D image is created for the viewer. This was an extremely personal process by which each viewer took away their own interpretation of the presented image.

You may wonder, why have I never heard of this device? Well, by 1760 the zograscope fell out of the public spotlight and all print advertisements. Though the life of the zograscope was short lived (about 40 years) it had a lasting effect on the future of image viewing. In a technical sense, the zograscope was the precursor to cinema and television. Even though the image did not move, it was the concept of viewing an image or even a virtual land through a looking glass that the zograscope is credited with.

I think that it could be argued that the internet is the zograscope of today. The internet allows members of “polite society” view and experience anything you want from the safety of your home. To take it further, where the internet allows you to view images and models, programs such as Second Life and all FPS and RPG games allow you to enter a virtual reality from the comfort of your favorite seat while being able to walk away without a physical scratch from the 20 rounds that you just took to the chest.

While the life of the zograscope was relatively short lived, it left a lasting impression in history.