Tricks are an entertaining and witty rebus that the viewer has to solve in a split second. Because the law of the genre requires speed, instantness. The public does not have time to comprehend what they saw. One magic follows another, and it seems that the familiar and established world order is crumbling under the pressure of incredible transformations following one after another.
First tricks (Ancient Egypt)
Rocks on the banks of the Nile and carved into them around 1260 BC. e. Abu Simbel Temple ... It can be considered the first illusion apparatus known to people. Twice a year, on his birthday and on the day he entered the throne, Pharaoh Ramses II appeared in it. The mysterious atmosphere, hundreds of people waiting for a miracle, temple priests recite ancient spells and magic formulas. They urge the sun to break through the clouds and reveal to the people of Pharaoh. And a miracle happens. At the right time, as if obeying the priests, an oblique ray of sunlight pierces the opening of a narrow door, penetrates a low and dark room and illuminates the figure of the ruler in darkness.
So described the ancient papyrus ceremony. The researchers of ancient civilization could only find the answer to this mystery in the twentieth century. Prehistoric architects knew exactly where and at what time in the days of the ceremony the solar disk would rise. They were able to orientate, according to the movement of the sun, the doors of the temple, through which the beam penetrated into the room and the room in which Ramses II was. The effect of this illusion was amazing - the subjects sincerely believed that the luminary itself points to the ruler.
This historical fact can give one of the possible answers to the question: “What is a trick?” It is possible that this is the use of accumulated knowledge to achieve the desired result! Such an answer is quite likely.
Manipulators of Ancient Greece
The mystical illusions of the priests could not go unnoticed. In ancient Greece, magicians appeared during the Greco-Persian wars. But they showed their art not in temples, but at fairgrounds. Surprisingly, in the writings of the grammar and rhetoric of Alkifron (III century A.D.) there is a mention of a trick that has survived to this day. In his book, he describes how a roving magician put three goblets on a table and put three pebbles. Incredibly, the pebbles moved - they ended up under one cup, then disappeared and were in the mouth of the magician. And after that they completely disappeared, but the illusionist began to get them from the pockets, ears or hair of the audience. The audience laughed and was surprised at the performer’s agility, because tricks are, first of all, a witty and entertaining performance.
The illusion between science and quackery
The development of illusionary art in medieval Europe went side by side with completely scientific experiments. No one distinguished where magic and quackery, and where experiments in the field of chemistry or optics. This was done by many famous people whose names have survived to this day. The famous astrologer and forecaster Michel Nostradamus (1503-1566) did not hesitate to show tricks. This, of course, strengthened the degree of its impact on the public, which is so susceptible to miracles and mysterious phenomena. A description of the optical experience, which was demonstrated by the great mystic, has been preserved. Through the opening panel in the ceiling, the assistants lowered the doll down, and then they lifted it back and closed the hatch. Viewers watched this through a narrow gap in the wall into which a trihedral transparent prism was mounted. She gave an "inverted" effect. It seemed that the doll rises from below and disappears there. Then the audience was let into the room, and they examined the floor. But it was made of stones, I and any secret hatches in it were absent.
Reflection in works of art
The popularity of illusionary shows became so wide in the Middle Ages that many writers and artists could not ignore this topic. They reflected in their work some moments containing elements of sorcery or tricks. Science, magic or art - it is difficult to give a short definition of this phenomenon. But well-known classical works show their influence on medieval culture.
The Dutch artist Peter Brueghel the Elder (c. 1525–1569) in one of his paintings depicted the overthrow of the magician from the throne. Wandering artists were depicted on the canvas in the guise of devils. Another Dutchman, Jerome Bosch (1450-1516), in his work also turned to the image of wandering magicians, magicians and sorcerers.
A connoisseur of Goethe's medieval culture (1749–1832), in his Faust, also paints magical paintings of the Middle Ages. Wine that gushes out of the table and lights up, freeing herself from the shackles of Margarita. Headless, carrying his severed head in his hands. All these tricks formed the basis of the repertoire of artists showing tricks. What is their secret and attractiveness for such a long time? Apparently, in the desire of people to penetrate the secret and indestructible faith in miracles.
Penetration into Russia
The first serious illusionary shows in Russia were held with the participation of foreign guest performers. They were held in the largest theaters of that time. In Moscow, it was the site of the Maly Theater, and in St. Petersburg, foreign illusions were shown on the stage of the Alexander Theater. By this time, illusion art was transformed. It began to widely use technical innovations of that time. Remained in the past days when the lot of magicians and sorcerers were cheap fair performances. In every way possible, they led the public to the idea that tricks were serious.
Foreign guest performers in Russia
The nineteenth century was especially intense in demonstrating such ideas in Russia. Many of the artists were real great masters of their genre.
Karl Hermann is a representative of the famous family of European magicians. He was artistic, during the shows he joked a lot and turned the audience into his assistants. At the same time, he was one of the first to use large illusion equipment. His repertoire included the “Boy in the Air” trick - the performer rested his hand on a long pole. At the same time, his legs were torn off the ground. At the request of the audience, the artist poured various drinks from the same bottle - that is, milk to champagne.
Karl Mekgold, who arrived on tour in Moscow, conquered the audience so much that the newspapers of that time compared him to Schiller and Mozart in his art. In the artist’s hands, the copper coin turned into a frog, which, in turn, became a canary. The audience gave the artist scarves, watches, jewelry. All these items were in the violin, which hung on the wall in a closed case.
Conquered the discerning public sorcerer and magician Bartolomeo Bosco. His representations of Egyptian magic caused a flurry of enthusiastic responses. The artist himself appeared before the audience in a sleeveless suit. All the props he used were extremely simple - open tables on thin legs, the absence of tablecloths in which you could hide something. It seemed that the objects really disappear and appear, obeying the desire of the artist. The audience agreed in the unanimous opinion that the experiments demonstrated by Bosco (tricks) are magic.
The first Russian magicians
Do not lag behind foreign colleagues and Russian magicians. History has retained the names of some of them. In 1828, behind the Rogozh outpost there was an arena for harassing animals. A certain Karasev performed there - he showed "extraordinary mechanical experiments." Under the supervision of the audience, the performer hid a manual chronometer in a box, but he disappeared. A bird appeared at the place of the clock. The jewelry hidden in the same box was found in the viewer's pocket.
In another amphitheater, at the Tver Gate, the magician Soloviev performed. On the poster, he called himself "fireproof man." His experiments (tricks) were associated with fire.
In 1835, the former mechanic Nikulin showed his magical performance on the stage of the Maly Theater in Moscow. A skilled craftsman, he used in his shows a lot of independently made illusion devices. And also came information about the performance in the same years of such Russian magicians as Kuparenko, Vasily Korchagin and Ivan Martin.
Although it is important to note that the audience perceived the performances of home-grown Russian artists colder than the performances of their foreign colleagues. The dictionaries of the Russian language reflect the attitude to this type of art in Russia through the meaning of the word “focus” - phrasing, hassle, deceit.
In the Soviet period
Without a doubt, illusion art in the Soviet Union received the most powerful development. New illusionary rides and small rooms were created. Gradually, catchy foreign names that Russian magicians traditionally took for themselves were gone. Both the attitude towards the artists and the understanding of what a trick is has changed. The magical and mystical background of this phenomenon is a thing of the past. The best representatives of the genre seemed to be inviting the audience into the game and saying: “Now you will be deceived, but you will be able to reveal this deception.”
Among such masters can be attributed the famous illusionist E. T. Kio, the first Soviet woman illusionist Cleo Dorothy (Claudia Karasik). Anatoly Sokol brilliantly continued the tradition of using technical innovations in the illusion. Otar Ratiani created the original "The Invisible Man" attraction based on the novel by G. Wells. Another masterpiece of the illusion score of the Soviet circus is “Water extravaganza” by Ilya Symbolov. And in the final of Anatoly Shag-Novozhilov’s performance at the circus arena, a whole field of ears of rye and folk dances appeared. The artists of the Soviet circus did not just show tricks - they developed their art, made it social and topical.
Miracles Don't End
So what is the attraction that tricks carry in themselves? Everyone can do magic with their own hands - apparently, this is precisely their popularity and longevity. After all, it is not necessary to become a professional sorcerer artist. A large amount of available literature makes it possible to master simple but effective tricks. Yes, and a large props for this will not be required - a deck of cards, a handkerchief, a few coins or balls. And the amazed eyes of the audience, like a time machine, can transfer the artist for millennia into the depths of centuries. Indeed, the ancient Egyptians looked at the miracles taking place in the temple of Pharaoh Ramses in 1260 BC.