Then he read about a famous French magician named Jean Eugne Robert-Houdin.
VOA: special.2010.12.19
Born in Blois, France, in 1805, Robert-Houdin gave rise to many modern magic tropes, such as performing in massive curtained theatres (as opposed to in sideshows) and dressing in formal tailcoats.
Home of the La Maison de la Magie, a museum in Blois dedicated to the history of magic and illusionists, the building plays tribute to clockmaker and magician Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin, one of the most influential magicians of his time.