Jacob Philadelphia
Page Module:Message box/ambox.css has no content.
Page Template:Hidden begin/styles.css has no content. You can help expand this article with text translated from [[:de:Script error: No such module "WikidataIB".|the corresponding article]] in Deutsch. Click [show] for important translation instructions.
|
Template:Short description Script error: No such module "For".
Page Module:Infobox/styles.css has no content.
Jacob Philadelphia | |
|---|---|
| Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:InfoboxImage/data' not found. Image of the magician/scientist Jacob Philadelphia | |
| Born | Jacob Meyer Script error: No such module "person date". |
| Died | Script error: No such module "person date". |
| EmployerTemplate:Pluralize from text | Template:Pluralize from text |
| OrganizationTemplate:Pluralize from text | Template:Pluralize from text |
| AgentTemplate:Pluralize from text | Template:Pluralize from text |
| Notable creditTemplate:Pluralize from text | Template:Pluralize from text |
| LabelTemplate:Pluralize from text | Template:Pluralize from text |
| Notable work | Little Treatise on Strange and Suitable Feats |
| OpponentTemplate:Pluralize from text | Template:Pluralize from text |
Criminal chargeTemplate:Pluralize from text | Template:Pluralize from text |
| SpouseTemplate:Pluralize from text | Template:Pluralize from text |
| PartnerTemplate:Pluralize from text | Template:Pluralize from text |
| Template:Pluralize from text | |
Script error: No such module "Check for conflicting parameters".Script error: No such module "Check for deprecated parameters".
Jacob Philadelphia (born Jacob Meyer; 14 August 1735 – 1785) was a German magician, physicist, astrologer and alchemist.[1][2]
Biography
According to Daniel Jütte, he was born Jacob Meyer probably in Wulfen in 1734, although he claimed to have been born in Philadelphia, though other sources report that he was in fact, American-born.[3] Dr Christopher Witt, the associate of Johannes Kelpius, was chiefly responsible for his education. Meyer's patron in England was Prince Henry, Duke of Cumberland and Strathearn, for whom he performed astrology, magic, and alchemy.
He was of Jewish descent, whose family immigrated from South America.[2][4] When he converted to Christianity, Jacob Meyer took the name of Jacob Philadelphia in homage to the home city of the American scientist and statesman Benjamin Franklin. He was also known by the names Meyer Philadelphia and Philadelphus Philadelphia. Meyer became a member of the occult Rosicrucian order. After the death of his patron in 1756, Meyer began to perform in public. He exhibited his skills in Ireland, Portugal, and Spain. In 1771, he performed in St. Petersburg for Catherine II of Russia.[5] Also, in Constantinople, he had Sultan Mustapha III as an audience. The year 1773 found him chasing away ghosts for Kaiser Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor in Vienna[6] at a charge of 300 Thalers.
In Potsdam and Berlin, he had difficulty with Frederick the Great, who was alarmed after Meyer read his mind.[citation needed] While at Frederick's court he made proposals for Prussia to open trade relations with the United States, but Frederick had several concerns about engaging with American agents, including prevailing anti-Jewish sentiment. [4] Friedrich was also averse to Meyer's Rosicrucianism and subsequently banished the magician from Prussia.[citation needed]
In James Randi's view, Meyer was probably the "first American-born...magician to attain any fame".[7]Template:Rp He was an early pioneer of phantasmagoria, a performance magic show with a focus on the appearance of ghostly figures.[8] His shows involved "magic lantern, mirror effects, and various magnetic and electrical (usually high-voltage) demonstrations"[7]Template:Rp
The Little Treatise on Strange and Suitable Feats was written by Meyer in 1774. In 1758, he toured England. Although he presented himself as being a scientist, many took him for a magician. In 1777 he refused to lecture in Göttingen because of an extravagant, satirical poster campaign by Georg Christoph Lichtenberg who libeled him as being a magician and miracle-worker. Among other things, the poster was designed to make people think that they would be forced into harmful situations if they attended the lecture. Lichtenberg's Avertissement placard became widely known and damaged Meyer's career.[9] His final lecture was given in 1781 in Switzerland. In 1783, made a business proposition involving the use of occult powers to Frederick the Great, who declined the offer.[7]Template:Rp
Meyer retired in Köthen, Germany, and died at the turn of the century [7]Template:Rp
Biographical novel
A biographical novel has been written by Marion Philadelphia in German about the life of Jacob Philadelphia. Its title is Der Gaukler der Könige (The Conjurer of Kings).[10]
See also
References
Page Template:Reflist/styles.css has no content.
- ^ Encyclopedia Judaica, Vol. 13, Macmillam, 1971 Library of Congress Card Catalog Number 72-90254, Template:ISBN
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Sachse, Julius (1907). "Jacob Philadelphia, Mystic and Physicist". Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society. 16: 73–94. Retrieved 23 January 2017.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Jütte, Daniel (2015-01-01). The Age of Secrecy: Jews, Christians, and the Economy of Secrets, 1400-1800. Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-19098-4.
- ^ a b Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Geiger, Ludwig; Stilcke, C. H.; Philadelphia, Jacob; Kohler, Max J. (1907). "Jacob Philadelphia and Frederick the Great". Publications of the American Jewish Historical Society (16): 85–94. ISSN 0146-5511. JSTOR 43059605.
- ^ Magic and magicians - Early American Magicians
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content."Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2007-03-14. Retrieved 2006-10-27.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b c d Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Randi, James (1992). Conjuring. New York: St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0-312-08634-2. OCLC 26162991.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Ruffles, Tom (October 2004). Ghost Images: Cinema Of The Afterlife. Mcfarland & Co. pp. 19–20.
- ^ Page Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css has no content.Feiner, Shmuel (2023-03-07). The Jewish Eighteenth Century, Volume 2: A European Biography, 1750–1800. Indiana University Press. p. 274. ISBN 978-0-253-06516-2.
- ^ Philadelphia, Marion, Der Gaukler der Könige, Blanvalet, 2001, Template:ISBN
Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'Module:Authority control/config' not found.
