1786: Anniversary Illumination of the Utrecht Academy

If those are candles, then these guys are trying to set the building on fire. What else could it be in 1786, gas?
  • Original image title, "Afbeelding der Iluminatie ter Gelegenheid van 't Jubilaeum van de Hondert en vijftig Jaar der Oprechting van de Utrechtsche Academie op kosten der Heeren Studenten, Onder Direxie en na de inventie van den Schilder P.J. Muller, den 31 Meij 1786"
  • Google Translated: "Image of the Illumination on the occasion of the Anniversary of the Hondert and fifty years of the Oprechting of the Utrecht Academy at the expense of the Heeren Students, Under Direction and after the invention of the painter P.J. Muller, the 31 May 1786"
  • Source
1786
Illumination_4.jpg

Image of the Illumination on the occasion of the Anniversary of the Hondert and fifty years of...jpg

KD: What is the source of the lights? And if somebody knows, what's this Utrecht Academy?
 
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KorbenDallas said:
If those are candles, then these guys are trying to set the building on fire. What else could it be in 1786, gas?
  • Original image title, "Afbeelding der Iluminatie ter Gelegenheid van 't Jubilaeum van de Hondert en vijftig Jaar der Oprechting van de Utrechtsche Academie op kosten der Heeren Studenten, Onder Direxie en na de inventie van den Schilder P.J. Muller, den 31 Meij 1786"
  • Google Translated: "Image of the Illumination on the occasion of the Anniversary of the Hondert and fifty years of the Oprechting of the Utrecht Academy at the expense of the Heeren Students, Under Direction and after the invention of the painter P.J. Muller, the 31 May 1786"
  • Source

KD: What is the source of the lights? And if somebody knows, what's this Utrecht Academy?
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The Utrechtse Academie was the main fraternity of Utrecht University. The text states that the male students paid for this painting. The lighting most likely consisted of the Argand Lamp or 'English Lamp', a gas light.
 
KorbenDallas said:
How would deliver gas to every independent lap though?
Datewise it appears to work. This Argand lamp was allegedly invented in 1780.
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Yeah, that's the question. In university docs I found the Argand Lamp to be a gas lamp, but in all online references so far it's oil-based. The painter could have applied too much artistic license for effect, but the gas/oil discrepancy needs sorted. Looks like oil has the upperhand.
 
Well, either oil or gas, I still do not understand the delivery method. I doubt that these lamps could be serviced individually. The most logical answer would be the electrical one, but we know that conventional wisdom does not support that. Wonder if they could have some other type we are not aware of today.
 
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