Vintage Lantern Slide of Illustration by JW Smith of HC Anderson's "Snow Queen"

"The Snow Queen" (Danish: Snedronningen) is an 1844 original fairy tale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It was first published 21 December 1844 in New Fairy Tales. First Volume. 

The story centers on the struggle between good and evil as experienced by Gerda and her friend, Kai. Unlike Andersen's other stories, The Snow Queen is written in a novel-styled narrative, being divided into seven chapters. The story is one of Andersen's longest and most highly acclaimed stories. It is regularly included in selected tales and collections of his work and is frequently reprinted in illustrated storybook editions for children.

The passage from Snow Queen Related to this Lantern Slide

On a summer day, splinters of the troll's mirror get into Kai's heart and eye. Kai becomes cruel and aggressive. He destroys their window-box garden, he makes fun of Gerda's grandmother, and he no longer cares about Gerda, since everyone now appears bad and ugly to him. When winter comes again, the only things he finds no fault in are snowflakes, which he studies through a magnifying glass. Kai goes out with his sled to play in the snowy market square and hitches it to a sleigh driven by a mysterious robed figure. The sleigh drives through the town gate, going faster and faster through the countryside, then stops, and the driver reveals herself to be the Snow Queen. She kisses Kai to numb him from the cold, and again to make him forget about Gerda and his family. They then fly together in the sleigh up into the clouds

The Historical Significance of Lantern Slides: Photographic History

The use of lantern slides for photographic displays had a profound impact on the dissemination of knowledge, entertainment, and art. It was an important bridge between the pre-modern era of visual culture and the rise of photography, film, and modern multimedia presentations. By facilitating the public sharing of images on a larger scale, lantern slides democratized access to visual information and laid the groundwork for the visual media we use today.