Magic, 1400s-1950s

The scientists of showbiz. Magic has enchanted humankind for millennia, evoking terror, laughter, shock and amazement.

Once persecuted as heretics and sorcerers, magicians have always been conduits to a parallel universe of limitless possibility - whether invoking spirits, reading minds, or inverting the laws of nature by sleight of hand.

Long before science fiction, virtual realities, video games, and the Internet, the craft of magic was the most powerful fantasy world man had ever known.

As the true pioneers of special effects in human history, magicians have never ceased to mystify by perpetually making the impossible possible.

This book celebrates 500 years of the dazzling visual culture of the world's greatest magicians.

Featuring over 1,000 rarely seen vintage posters, photographs, handbills, and engravings in one 640-page volume, it traces the history of magic as a performing art from the 1470s through the post-WWII years. Through sensational images and clear and insightful accompanying text, "Magic" explores the evolution of the magician's craft, from its early street performers to the brilliant stage magicians who gave rise to early cinematic special effects; from the 19th century's "Golden Age of Magic" to groundbreaking daredevils like Houdini and the vaudevillians of the early 20th century.