History of Lines: Looking Straight Down from Straight Up, 1786

JF Ptak Science Books   Post 1581

I was struck by the mosaic possibilities of the image (below) found in Thomas Baldwin's Airopaidia (printed in 1786) and so made it into one.  But what the engraving is,m really, is a view from a balloon, looking straight down.

We're looking straight down, through the clouds, seeing two towns (at bottom-left and top-center)--why the rivers are red, I don't know.

There are other posts on this blog on looking straight down, which is an attractive subject--to me, at least. First-hand images of looking straight down fro a balloon are rare things, even through the early 19th century, and offer a prospective seldom seen in human history.

Another view from this work attempts to show some depth:

Here's another view of that same image from the Baldwin experience, reprinted around 1810, and left in black-and-white:"

 Halton Tuner makes these observations on Baldwin's flight in his iconic Astra Castra: Experiments and adventures in the atmosphere ¹(published in 1864 in London): 

Notes:

1.  The full title of the work:  Airopaidia: containing the narrative of a balloon excursion from Chester, the eighth of September, 1785, 1786  Airopaidia: containing the narrative of a balloon excursion from Chester, the eighth of September, 1785, taken from minutes made during the voyage: hints on the improvement of balloons … to which is subjoined mensuration of heights by the barometer, made plain; with extensive tables. The whole serving as an introduction to aërial navigation. With a copious index. / By Thomas Baldwin, Esq, A.M.