Louis Figuier Collection (page 7)

Kinegraphe camera, 19th century
Kinegraphe camera. Photographer operating a Kinegraphe, an early French camera, the design of which first appeared in the late 1880s

Botanical sundial, 19th century
Botanical sundial. This sundial was located in one of the parks or horticultural gardens in Chicago, USA, which included several such sundials

Pasteur in his study, 19th century
Pasteur in his study. French microbiologist and chemist Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) found that fermentation is caused by micro-organisms, and also proposed the germ theory of disease

Serrin lamp, 19th century
Serrin lamp. Invented in the 1850s, this was the first lamp design produced by the French engineer Victor Serrin (1829-1905)

Ship heating room, 19th century
Ship heating room. Stokers shovelling coal into the boilers of a ship heating room. Artwork from the tenth volume (second period of 1892) of the French popular science weekly La Science Illustree

Electric body lights, 19th century
Electric body lights. These lights are carried on the body and are designed to be powered from an overhead cable. This design was by the French scientist and photographer Etienne-Jules Marey

Monkeybread tree, 19th century
Monkeybread tree (Adansonia digitata). Also known as the baobab tree, the genus name for this plant comes from the French botanist Michel Adanson (1727-1806), who described this species

Steam fireboats, 19th century
Steam fireboats, attending a fire on the River Thames, in London, UK. By 1900 there were some 40 of these fireboats operating

Richard Francis Burton, British explorer
Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890), British explorer. Expelled from Oxford University, Burton served in the army in India for seven years from 1842 where he learnt several Eastern languages

Tuberculosis transfusion, 19th century
Tuberculosis goat blood transfusion. This procedure was carried out by the French doctor Samuel Bernheim (1855-1915) and involved transfusing 150 to 200 grams of blood from the goat to the female

Loudspeaker apparatus, 19th century
Loudspeaker apparatus, as constructed in the laboratory of the French physicist Henri Becquerel (1852-1908). This apparatus includes a Ruhmkorff coil (induction coil)

Gaulard transformer, 19th century
Gaulard transformer. Transformers change the voltage of an electric power supply, enabling it to be used in different devices (such as the bulb at top)

Coin production, 19th century
Coin production. Quality control worker at a minting factory verifying the coins produced. Artwork from the tenth volume (second period of 1892)

Daimler automobile, 19th century
Daimler automobile. Daimler is a German car manufacturer founded in 1890 and making cars under the brand Mercedes. This early automobile has an internal combustion engine at the front

Bourdin camera, 19th century
Bourdin camera. Woman using a viewfinder while operating an early French camera (Bourdin model). Several early camera designs were produced by the French photographer

Cholera epidemic, 19th century
Cholera epidemic. Drinking water supplies being distributed during a cholera epidemic in Hamburg, Germany. Such epidemics were spread by infected water supplies

Silver plating, 19th century
Silver plating. This chemical reaction involves metal substitution to produce this tree shape plated in silver. Artwork from the tenth volume (second period of 1892)

Tilt compass, 19th century
Tilt compass. This apparatus includes an azimuth circle (lower centre), a compass needle and magnifying glasses (centre), a screw to adjust the needle (centre right)

Wild cattle herd, 19th century
Wild cattle herd. This herd is grazing in the grounds of Chillingham Castle, England. Artwork from the tenth volume (second period of 1892) of the French popular science weekly La Science Illustree

Capillary repulsion, 19th century
Capillary repulsion demonstration. The ball at top centre is balancing on the meniscus of a water column produced by surface tension and capillary action

Artificial rain experiment, 19th century

Nicephore Niepce, French inventor
Nicephore Niepce (1765-1833), one of the French inventors of photography. Niepce developed a process he called heliography in the 1820s

Electroscope experiment, 19th century
Electroscope experiment. This simple version of an electroscope, designed to detect electric charge, is described as a glass flask with a stopper containing a metal rod

Magic lantern display, 19th century
Magic lantern display, showing the 7 June 1891 eruption of the volcano Vesuvius in the Bay of Naples, Italy. The magic lantern was the ancestor of the modern slide projector

Cyrus Field, US financier
Cyrus West Field (1819-1892), US financier. Field was one of the founders of the Atlantic Telegraph Company that laid the first telegraph cable across the Atlantic Ocean in 1858

Charles Friedel, French chemist
Charles Friedel (1832-1899), French chemist. Artwork from the ninth volume (first period of 1892) of the French popular science weekly La Science Illustree

Jacques Inaudi, Italian calculator
Jacques Inaudi (1867-1950), Italian calculator. Inaudi was a child prodigy, able to perform feats of mental arithmetic from a young age

Maskelyne typewriter, 19th century
Maskelyne typewriter. This typewriter was designed by the British stage magician John Nevil Maskelyne (1839-1917) and his son Nevil Maskelyne (1863-1924)

Pascals Principle demonstration, 1889
Demonstration of Pascals Principle. This principle stated that pressure exerted on a liquid or gas is transmitted equally to all parts of that liquid or gas

Paul Fischer, French naturalist
Paul Fischer (1835-1893), French naturalist and physician. Fischer trained in medicine, but also studied zoology. He was a palaeontologist at the Museum of Natural History in Paris, France

Resuscitation technique, 19th century
Resuscitation technique, 19th-century artwork. Demonstration of the technique developed in 1892 by the French physician Laborde to resuscitate patients who have stopped breathing

Snowy owl and chicks, 19th century
Snowy owl and chicks, 19th-century artwork. The snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) is also known as the harfang, and is found in the northern circumpolar region

Coconut rope production, 19th century
Coconut rope production, 19th-century artwork. The fibres for this rope are obtained from the husk of the coconut, producing a material known as coir

Lightning effects, early 20th century
Lightning effects, early 20th-century artwork. At upper left are plant leaf impressions left on human skin by the effects of a lightning strike

Bicycle monorail, early 20th century
Bicycle monorail, early 20th-century artwork. Man operating a cycling device on a suspension railway system. This basic mechanism can be used for any carrier suspended from an overhead rail (monorail)

Samuel Baker, British explorer
Samuel White Baker (1821-1893), British explorer. In 1861 Baker started on an expedition to find the source of the Nile. However, in early 1863 he met Speke and Grant

Fer-de-lance snake, 19th century
Fer-de-lance snake, 19th-century artwork. There are a number of different species described by the term fer-de-lance, most from the genus Bothrops and all poisonous

Ice sailing on skates, 19th century
Ice sailing on skates, 19th-century artwork. The skater is using a kite-like apparatus to use the wind to sail across the ice

Catania Carte du Ciel telescope, 1894
Catania Carte du Ciel telescope, 19th-century artwork. This photographic telescope was erected in 1892 at the Catania Observatory in Sicily, Italy

Whirling dervishes, 19th century artwork. This troupe of performers are at the Great Industrial Exposition of Berlin that took place in 1896

Arctic explorer and dogs, 19th century
Arctic explorer and dogs, 19th-century artwork. This is the British Arctic explorer Frederick George Jackson (1860-1938) during the Jackson-Harmsworth Expedition of 1894 to 1897

Comet over a castle, 16th century
Comet over a castle, 16th-century artwork. This artwork is from Prodigiorum ac ostentorum chronicon (1557) by the German author Conrad Lycosthenes (1518-1561)

Trans-Siberian Railway labourers, 1890s
Trans-Siberian Railway labourers, 19th-century artwork. Workers clearing trees in a forest during construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. Engineers are surveying the route

Mullaperiyar Dam, 19th century
Mullaperiyar Dam, 19th-century artwork. Known at the time as the Periyar Dam, this dam was built from 1887 across the Periyar River in the state of Kerala in southern India. It opened in 1895

Smokestack demolition, 19th century
Smokestack demolition, 19th-century artwork based on a photograph. This is the moment just after explosives have been detonated at the base of the smokestack to to topple it

Resuscitation apparatus, 19th century
Resuscitation apparatus, 19th-century artwork. Demonstration of the artificial respiration apparatus of William F. Z. Desant, an inventor who filed several patents in New York, USA, in the 1890s

Heliostat, 19th century
Heliostat, 19th-century artwork. Heliostats are devices designed to track the sun across the sky and continually adjust their mirror to reflect the suns rays to a fixed location

Electric drill, 19th century
Electric drill, 19th-century artwork. This drill, powered by the electric motor at left, is being used in the workshops of a shipbuilding company. The company is Austrian Lloyd, in Trieste

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Louis Figuier was a man of many interests and accomplishments. In the 19th century, he delved into various fields, leaving his mark in each one. As an avid cyclist, Figuier understood the importance of using specific muscles while riding. He studied and analyzed the different muscle groups involved in cycling, contributing to our understanding of this popular sport. In 1889, Figuier turned his attention to nature's wonders by exploring bonsai dwarf pines. His research on these miniature trees shed light on their cultivation techniques and captivated enthusiasts around the world. Figuier's curiosity also led him to Cornish tin mines. Fascinated by the mining industry's intricacies during that era, he documented its operations and shared valuable insights into this vital sector. The medical field greatly benefited from Figuier's work as well. He extensively researched Calots spinal surgery in the 19th century, providing invaluable knowledge for advancements in surgical procedures and patient care. The industrial revolution witnessed significant breakthroughs with Figuier at its forefront. He closely examined oil wells' impact during this period, highlighting their role in shaping modern energy production methods. Another groundbreaking invention that fascinated Figuier was Marconi's radio. Recognizing its potential early on, he chronicled Marconi's achievements and foresaw how it would revolutionize communication forever. Figuier had a deep appreciation for nature and its intricate systems; thus beekeeping became another subject close to his heart. His studies on bees' behavior contributed immensely to apiary practices still used today. One monumental project that captured Figuier's attention was the construction of Manchester Ship Canal in the 19th century. Through meticulous research and documentation, he showcased how this engineering marvel transformed trade routes and bolstered economic growth for Manchester. Even historical discoveries intrigued Figuier; Galileo Galilei's observations of Jovian moons back in 1610 fascinated him.