Howard Koslow (New Jersey, New York, 1924 - 2016) "Montgolfier - Balloons" Signed lower right. Acrylic on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. The history of transportation was abruptly changed when in 1783 man took to the sky for the very first manned flight. It all started one day as two French brothers -- Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier -- sat in front of their fireplace in France. As they watched smoke and sparks rise and swirl up their chimney, these two ingenious brothers felt certain that if they could somehow capture the mysterious "rising gas" produced by the burning fire, they could apply their knowledge and devise a way to use these hot gases to lift objects off the ground. Since the Montgolfier family was well established in the paper manufacturing business, it was simple for Joseph and Etienne to construct several small paper balloons to act as prototypes for a much larger balloon. After successfully testing their theory with these smaller balloons, the brothers contructed a gigantic hot-air balloon made of colorful linen. On November 21, 1783 the Montgolfiers filled this huge balloon with the smoke and fumes of a smoldering fire. Then they released their large, buoyant airship and let it soar into the sky, carrying with it the world's first humans to fly, Francois Pilatre de Rozier and Francois Laurent, the Marquis d'Arlandes. Image Size: 14 x 11.75 in. Overall Size: 20.25 x 17.5 in. Unframed. (B07851)