Nowadays, with the use of technologies such as 3D scanning, Virtual Reality (VR) and even Augmented Reality (AR) modern man can navigate a virtual environment, interact with 3D worlds and even introduce digital objects into the real world in real-time. But when were the first 3D images discovered? What theory was the invention of the stereoscope based on, and what was its purpose? What do the first stereograms depict?
The experience of viewing the first stereoscopic images is reminiscent of the toy view-master, where the user places a cardboard disc with images into a slot and, by pressing a button, a whole 3D story unfolds before his eyes. It could also be compared to 3D movie projections, where, with the use of special glasses, the viewer has a different viewing experience.
Stereoscopy is the method of creating the illusion of depth and perspective by viewing a pair of similar two-dimensional images (stereograms or stereographs) with the proper optical instruments (stereoscopes). Depth perception happens primarily due to stereopsis which retrieves through binocular vision: each eye receives a different image of a scene as they are in different positions in one’s head. Hence, images come slightly different to the brain. These positional differences (horizontal or binocular disparities) are prosessed in the visual cortex of the brain to yield the three dimensions.
Charles Wheatstone is the first who developed the theory of stereoscopic vision. In 1838, he presented the first stereoscope, an arrangement of flat mirrors at a 90 degree angle where the viewer could watch drawings and prints in a 3D form. The invention of daguerreotype and talbotype played a key role to the spread of stereoscopic images. In 1849, David Brewster improved the first version of the stereoscope by replacing mirrors with lenses. The new portable device, which earned the admiration of Queen Victoria, provided a template for all subsequent stereoscopes.
Before long, the viewing of stereoscopic photographs became extremely popular as the stereoscopic images provided an opportunity for people to experience places far away while acquiring new knowledge. Photographers were sent throughout the world to capture views for the new medium and feed the demand for 3D images. Cards were printed with these views often with explanatory text.
The interest for stereoscopic images weakened in the beginning of the 20th century due to the rise of cinematography. The first view-master, a special format portable stereoscopic system was introduced in 1939 and still remains popular nowadays.
Stereoscopic pairs in this Virtual Exhibition depict buildings, monuments, statues, landscapes and human figures which narrate stories from another time. Setting: 19th and early 20th century Greece, when stereoscopes were used by the European travelers as a tool for recording their impressions.
The exhibition contains items from the following institutions:
