This Lithophane night light is of Paramhansa Yogananda from the photo on the cover of Autobiography of a Yogi.

Each Lithophanes takes 3 hours to create.

The History of Lithophanes

Lithophane is an invented word formed from the Greek meaning, "appearing in stone." Few people have ever heard about, let alone seen, a Lithophane. A patent was granted for their manufacture in France in 1827 and they were made until 1902. Lithophanes had already begun to wane in popularity by 1879 when Edison developed his incandescent light bulb.

Lithophanes were once porcelain transparencies which when viewed with normal reflected light has relatively nothing to be seen except that the porcelain was carved of various thicknesses, but when there was a light behind the porcelain, the picture impressed into it came to life and the full details were revealed vividly and in 3 dimensions.

Until you see a Lithophane it is impossible to understand them because of their 3 dimensional qualities and their ability to spring to life when the light is turned on behind them. Even when looking at Lithophanes many people cannot believe that there is not a picture imbedded in them.

They were once made by a modeler who worked with a tablet of translucent wax with a light-source behind and an original print or other image to copy. The wax would have been carved away until the right level of tone was achieved in a given place, or left untouched where the deepest shade was needed. A hollow mould would then have been formed around the wax tablet and a master copy made in a more durable material. That master copy could then be used to make a working mould by filling it in with liquid clay.

More recently, with the help of the latest digital technology, this lost art form has been making a comeback. It has been found in translucent plastics and even in edible white chocolate. The company who creates our night lights has been perfecting this process over the last 3 years.

Dimensions: 3" x 2 1/2"

About Paramahansa Yogananda