Aerostat or collection of tables of aerostatic experiments t - Lot 92

Aerostat or collection of tables of aerostatic experiments to date 12 engravings by Bignon Paris, Late 18th century Case damaged, stained 10, 5 x 7,3 x 1 cm Note: Rare set of twelve engravings from the late XVIIIᵉ century devoted to early aerostatic experiments, testifying to the enthusiasm aroused by the invention of the hot-air balloon after the Montgolfier brothers' discoveries. Each plate illustrates a key episode in the early days of aviation: public ascents, scientific demonstrations or flight itineraries, blending documentary accuracy with a taste for staging. The addition of colored highlights accentuates the didactic and spectacular character of these images, intended for a public curious about scientific progress. Published in Paris, this set is both scientific and popular, characteristic of the spirit of the Enlightenment, when the dissemination of knowledge was accompanied by a veritable imaginary of progress. Despite its used condition, it is a precious testimony to the birth of aeronautics.