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Notes
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Working in coal mines was very dangerous: there were areas of flammable gas and the miners had lamps with open flames so explosions were common. Davy was asked by mine owners to find a way of lighting the mines safely. He worked intensively on the problem for two months, trying lamps with differently sized pipes and long chimneys to control the flame. Finally he realised that the best solution was very simple: a cage made of gauze with holes too small for the flame to pass through. Davy was widely celebrated for his invention, both in Britain and abroad, and he was even thanked by the Emperor of Russia, Alexander I, by the presentation of a soup tureen.
The Royal Institution
London
Title
Humphry Davy's Miners' Safety Lamp
Date
2009
Medium
oil on linen
Measurements
H 20 x W 20 cm
Accession number
EN 28
Acquisition method
gift from Dr Mary Joyce Pickersgill, 2010
Work type
Painting
The Royal Institution
21 Albermarle Street, London, Greater London W1S 4BS England
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