Departure of Blanchard and Jeffries' Balloon from Dover, January 7, 1785

S. W. Fores|Jean-Pierre Blanchard|John Jeffries|Thomas Rowlandson

January 1794 · Hand-colored etching · Drawings and Prints

On January 7, 1785, the French balloonist Jean-Pierre Blanchard and his American backer John Jeffries traveled from Dover to Calais in a gas balloon, becoming the first to cross the English Channel by air. Rowlandon shows spectators near the English coast excitedly watching their departure.

Artist

S. W. Fores|Jean-Pierre Blanchard|John Jeffries|Thomas Rowlandson

Date

January 1794

Medium

Hand-colored etching

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Paul Bird Jr., 1962