Description
Sophie Blanchard, a pioneering balloonist of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, was a key figure in France’s early aeronautical advancements. As the first woman to make a career in ballooning, she gained widespread fame for her daring aerial performances, often executing stunts from small, fragile gondolas (baskets) and incorporating fireworks into her displays. She continued the legacy of her husband, Jean-Pierre Blanchard, a ballooning pioneer who, alongside inventor John Jeffries, made the first aerial crossing of the English Channel. Sophie became the official aeronaut of Napoleon’s court, symbolizing France’s enthusiasm for aviation and technological progress. However, her fearless performances were at great risk and on July 7, 1819, a spark from her fireworks ignited leaking hydrogen in her balloon, causing it to crash. She fell from the gondola and did not survive, marking a tragic end to here illustrious career.
Condition: Generally very good, recently professionally cleaned and deacidified, with light remaining overall toning, handling and wear, and faint discoloration mark where formerly matted, can be remitted out.
References:
“Aeronaut Sophie Blanchard.” Air and Space Museum. https://airandspace.si.edu/multimedia-gallery/de81643a8b8a2001jpg (14 March 2025).
“Entree Dans La Ville De Paris de sa Majeste Louis XVII Roi de France.” Air and Space Museum Smithsonian. https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/entree-dans-la-ville-de-paris-de-sa-majeste-louis-xviii-roi-de-france-et-de-navarre-le-4-mai-1814/nasm_A20140800000 (13 March 2025).
“Exhibition Portrays Birth-of-Flight.” LTA Science and Flight Magazine. https://ltaflightmagazine.com/cloudsexhibit/ (14 March 2025).
