Title
First balloon flight by man on 21st November 1783
Caption
Jean-François Pilâtre de Rozier and the marquis d'Arlandes' first aerostatic experiment on 21st November 1783. View from the first aerial voyage over Paris from Benjamin Franklin's balcony in Passy.
Small painting on copper (14 x 14.8 cm)
Muller-Quênot Collection
Info+
On 21st November 1783 the balloon left the parc du Château's aerial space and went towards the Seine, passing in the proximity of Benjamin Franklin's hotel in Passy and the dutchess de Lamballe's residence down the Chaillot hillside. When the balloon was above the river Seine it began its descent. Pilâtre told his companion, charged with operating the fire "not to do anything." The marquis d'Arlandes poked the stove and the balloon rose higher, climbing up to nearly nine hundred metres in altitude.
The Parisians were in awe of the blue and gold balloon as it appeared to glide through the air, a rare sight, made even more unimaginable by the trail of smoke it left in its path. The balloon continued its journey over the Ecole Militaire, the hôtel des Invalides, the Saint-Sulpice Church, as well as passing over le Luxembourg, la Barrière d’Italie and la Bièvre near the water mill in Croumebarbe. After a flight of twenty-six minutes and having travelled a distance of around ten kilometres, the bold voyagers landed in clos Payen on the hillside of la Butte aux Cailles.
Date
18th century
Credit line
Photo12/Association Muller Quenot Rosheim
Reference
MQR10A00_084
License type
Rights managed
Available size
66,8Mb (5,0Mb) / 15,7in x 16,5in / 4704 x 4961 (300dpi)