Making fire work: pyrotechnics and natural philosophy.
Everyone is familiar with fireworks, common to festivals and celebrations across the world. At first glance, the history of science might appear to have little to do with the history of these explosive devices. However, fireworks were an important element of court culture in Europe, which relied on spectacle and festival to manifest the power of princes. From the fifteenth century, courts regularly set off fireworks around elaborate theatrical scenery and ephemeral temples, fascinating audiences with a variety of exotic motions and effects exploding in the night sky. Fireworks also intrigued natural philosophers, and over several centuries there were diverse interactions among the sciences and pyrotechny.
Werrett
Simon
S
Department of History, University of Washington, Box 353560, Seattle, WA 98195-3560, USA. werrett@u.washington.edu
D002616:Chemical Engineering / Q000266:history*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005060:Europe; D005107:Explosions / Q000266:history*; D053834:Explosive Agents / Q000266:history*; D005390:Fires / Q000266:history*; D049668:History, 15th Century; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D049672:History, 19th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D006693:Holidays / Q000266:history*; D006801:Humans
D053834:Explosive Agents