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Satirical cartoon, Blanchard flying across the Channel
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Satirical cartoon, Blanchard flying across the Channel
Satirical cartoon, Blanchard the balloonist flying with large wings, crossing the English Channel from Calais to Dover, carrying a ship. Date: circa 1785
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Media ID 23101186
© Mary Evans Picture Library
100th 1785 Anniversary Balloon Balloonist Blanchard Channel Collaboration Commemoration Crossing Invention Jeffries Progress Scientific Technology Years January
EDITORS COMMENTS
This satirical print, titled "Blanchard Flying Across the Channel," depicts Jean-Pierre Blanchard, the pioneering French balloonist, making an extraordinary transatlantic crossing from Calais, France, to Dover, England, in a hot air balloon with an added pair of large wings and a ship in tow. The image, believed to have been created around 1785, captures the spirit of scientific innovation and international collaboration during the Age of Enlightenment. The invention of the hot air balloon, which had taken place just a few years earlier, represented a significant leap in human understanding of flight and the potential for air travel. Blanchard, a skilled aviator, had already made history by completing the first hot air balloon flight in America in 1793. In this satirical representation, he is shown defying the laws of nature by combining the elements of air and water, flying over the English Channel while carrying a ship. The print's creation likely coincides with the 100th anniversary of the first recorded crossing of the English Channel by sea, which took place in January 100 AD. The commemoration of this milestone event, combined with the excitement surrounding Blanchard's ballooning achievements, likely inspired the creation of this whimsical and imaginative artwork. The print's intricate details, such as the waving flags and the coastal landscapes of Calais and Dover, further emphasize the international significance of this moment in history. With its playful blend of science, progress, and fantasy, this satirical cartoon continues to captivate audiences more than 200 years after its creation.
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