Title
Third balloon flight by man on board the Flesselle in Lyon on 19th January 1784
Caption
Le Chevalier de Lorimier, draftsman and Nicolas de Launay, etcher
Third human balloon flight on board the Flesselle in Lyon on 19th January 1784
Coloured etching with frame (28.5 x 22 cm)
Muller-Quênot Collection
Info+
On 19th January 1784, le Flesselles rose up into the Lyon sky. As expected, seven passengers took their places in the gallery: the inventor of the hot-air balloon Joseph Montgolfier, who would be undertaking his final aerial voyage, Pilâtre de Rozier, Prince Charles de Ligne, the marquis de Laurencin and Dampierre, and the count de Laporte d’Anglefort. At the last moment they were joined by the young Fontaine who had watched the creation of the balloon.
The crowd of nearly two hundred thousand people who had assembled in Brotteaux was alarming: several anchor chains had broken off. The balloon was above the Rhône. Josephe and Fontaine increased the flame to delay the fall. Boats assembled on the Rhône and on the Saôneto to follow le Flesselles. The balloon climbed another eight hundred metres but a fifteen metre tear in the balloon lead it to drop. The ascent lasted nearly 15 minutes.
Date
18th century
Credit line
Photo12/Association Muller Quenot Rosheim
Reference
MQR10A00_085
License type
Rights managed
Available size
39,1Mb (2,5Mb) / 11,0in x 13,8in / 3302 x 4134 (300dpi)