The Magic Lantern, Paul Before Felix c. 1753

Curator: This is Paul Sandby's "The Magic Lantern, Paul Before Felix," a print currently held at the Harvard Art Museums. It depicts a magic lantern show. Editor: It's striking how Sandby uses light and shadow. There's this incredible contrast between the sharply lit scene and the looming darkness. It feels almost theatrical. Curator: Exactly! The magic lantern was a popular form of entertainment, projecting images onto a surface. Sandby's print reflects the era's fascination with spectacle and illusion, and the print emulates a magic lantern show. Editor: The image presented by the lantern seems to be an elaborate depiction of some kind of tribunal, but also like a stage play, full of people in their different roles. Curator: It's meant to represent the Apostle Paul before the Roman governor Felix, a common subject during the period. The magic lantern provided an accessible way to educate as well as entertain. Editor: Seeing this performance through Sandby’s print makes me think about how the narratives we consume, even those considered "historical," are always framed, always performed. Curator: Precisely. Sandby's work invites us to consider the power of images and their capacity to shape public understanding. Editor: It's a reminder that what we see is never the whole story, even with the most convincing illusions.