"Premier Voyage Arien, 1783"; In spite of a color shift which has transformed the blue and gold balloon into yellow, this is an accurate depiction of the first free flight of human beings, November 21, 1783. The Montgolfier balloon carried Pilatre de Rozier and Francois Laurent, the marquis d'Arlandes, up and away from the garden of the Chateau de la Muette, seat of the Dauphin, on the Bois de Boulogne. The dome of Les Invalides and the towers of Notre dame are visible across the Seine. This print show the balloon as it would have been seen from the terrace of the Hotel de Valentinois, the rented home of Benjamin Franklin in Passy. Created by Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Date Created 11/16/2021 Source Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Keywords Art; Aviation Rights and Restrictions Not determined
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