Places, spaces, or spatial experiences are sometimes described as "magical." (The word is used here in its colloquial sense, with no supernatural connotations.) Their magic, however, is closely tied to their period, for that which is enchanting to one generation may seem banal to the next. The article explores a spatial typology - the wintergarden - and suggests that over the years it has taken on many forms, each of which seemed, in its time, to possess qualities that made it a site of fascination. As a device through which to discuss this, the ephemeral spatial enchantment of each wintergarden in its heyday is considered in relation to the magical effects that are created in conjuring. Professional conjurors suggest that there are a limited number of basic "feats" of entertainment magic, in which the things that happen appear to go beyond the boundaries of what is normally possible and are hence felt to be "magical." All magical effects are composed from combinations of these basic feats. Conjurors emphasize, however, that magic happens in the mind of the audience, and that magic works by playing on things that the audience feels to be significant, and worth attending to. Behind the magic of conjuring lies science, but also attention, so that the feeling that something is "magical" is related both to the changing technologies of its times and the culture of the society that is thrilled by it at that moment. When the wintergardens are examined in relation to the conjurors' feats, they reveal ideas or aspirations that had heightened significance for their audiences - at that period. The article considers a range of wintergardens at their moment of glory. By suggesting that the wintergarden continues to be a compelling concept whose new forms reflect the mood of the moment, the article offers another approach to the relations between interior discourses and other histories.
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