The Ascent of Mont Blanc

Albert Smith was a Victorian journalist, author, entrepreneur and itinerant panorama showman. Locally-based lanternists Mike and Theresa Simkin will be showing a unique set of extremely large, hand-painted Victorian magic lantern slides describing his ascent of Mont Blanc in 1851, based upon paintings and drawings by travelling companion William Beverley. A spin-off from Smith’s famous 1850s panorama show at the Egyptian Hall in London, the original performance featured attendants dressed as Alpine handmaidens and St Bernard dogs who brought chocolate to the audience.

For the story behind Smith's Mont Blanc adventure and subsequent media frenzy, we recommend Colby Chamberlain's 2007 article for Cabinet.