Magic Lantern Art

The American Screen's First Great Narrative Artist, Joseph Boggs Beale

By: Terry Borton

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eBook | 13 January 2026

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Magic Lantern Art celebrates the life and artistry of cinema pioneer, Joseph Boggs Beale (1841-1926). Beale was America's premier artist creating images for magic lantern shows - the projected performances that gave birth to the movies. His 2,000+ lantern illustrations were made into story-telling slides that were seen and admired by millions a year. Almost single-handedly he created American screen entertainment for the generation before the movies, pioneering narrative techniques that later appeared on the nation's cinema screens.

Magic Lantern Art is based on both the author's extensive Beale archive, now held by the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles, and on his 25-year career performing more than 1,000 professional lantern shows using Beale's slides. Written in an engaging and accessible style and featuring over 500 color pictures, the book is a must-read for anyone interested in cinema history or American art.