Constantin Dmitrievich Perskyi (Константин Дмитриевич Перский) (2 June 18545 April 1906) was a Russian scientist who is credited with coining the word
television
Television (TV) is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. Additionally, the term can refer to a physical television set rather than the medium of transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
(''télévision'') in a paper that he presented in French at the 1st International Congress of Electricity, which ran from 18 to 25 August 1900 during the
International World Fair in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
. At the time, he was Professor of Electricity at the Artillery Academy of
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
. His paper referred to the work of other experimenters in the field, including
Paul Gottlieb Nipkow
Paul Julius Gottlieb Nipkow (; 22 August 1860 – 24 August 1940) was a German electrical engineer and inventor. He invented the Nipkow disk, which laid the foundation of television, since his disk was a fundamental component in the first televis ...
and
Porfiry Ivanovich Bakhmetiev, who were attempting to use the
photoelectric properties of
selenium
Selenium is a chemical element; it has symbol (chemistry), symbol Se and atomic number 34. It has various physical appearances, including a brick-red powder, a vitreous black solid, and a grey metallic-looking form. It seldom occurs in this elem ...
as the basis for their research in the field of image transmission.
Biography
Konstantin Perskyi was born on 2 June (21 May according to the
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar is a solar calendar of 365 days in every year with an additional leap day every fourth year (without exception). The Julian calendar is still used as a religious calendar in parts of the Eastern Orthodox Church and in parts ...
), 1854 in Tver Governorate. He belonged to a noble family founded by a person who had moved out of Persia in the service of the grand prince of
Dmitry Donskoy
Dmitry Ivanovich Donskoy (; 12 October 1350 – 19 May 1389) was Prince of Moscow from 1359 and Grand Prince of Vladimir from 1363 until his death. He was the heir of Ivan II.
He was the first prince of Moscow to openly challenge Mongol ...
.
He studied in Michalovsky Artillery College, and after graduation was a member of the squadron headed by the heir to the throne, the future tsar of Russia
Alexander III. He took part in the Russo-Turkish War (1877—1878). In 1882 graduated from Michaylovsky Military Artillery Academy.
In 1883—1886 studied in Nikolay General Staff Academy, but was dismissed for private reasons.
His further service was in St. Petersburg as a head of an ammunition (cartridge) workshop, and then of the whole factory currently named after M.I Kalinin.
Was a professor of electric technique in Artillery Academy.
Konstantin Perskyi played an important role in social life of St. Petersburg, was a member of Russian Technical Society, and an academic secretary of the Electrotechnic Society, took part in All-Russia Electrotechnic Meetings.
Practical studies of Persky were mostly related to creation and development of gunnery (artillery) equipment.
In 1899 he presented the report «Современное состояние вопроса об электровидении на расстоянии (телевизирование)» at the First All-Russia Electrotechnic Congress in Saint Petersburg. Then, he presented the same report on 24 August 1900 in Paris at IV International Electrotechnic Congress that was held under auspices of Exposition Universelle, where he first used the term of television widely used afterwards. In Russia the term was used only a few years later.
On 5 April 1906, Colonel Perskyi was ranked Major-General and dismissed from service for health reasons and was awarded with pension, but died soon after.
Awards
*
Order of Saint Anna with the inscription "For bravery" for services in
Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878)
The Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) was a conflict between the Ottoman Empire and a coalition led by the Russian Empire which included United Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia, Romania, Principality of Serbia, Serbia, and Principality of ...
See also
*
History of television
The concept of television is the work of many individuals in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Constantin Perskyi had coined the word ''television'' in a paper read to the International Electricity Congress at the Exposition Universelle ...
Notes
References
*Constantin Perskyi, "Television by means of electricity", from the International World Fair of 1900, International Congress of Electricity (Paris, 18–25 August 1900), reported under the authority of Mr. E. Hospitalier, General Reporter, Gauthier-Villars, printer and publisher, Paris, 1901
(French) text*''The Electrician'', London, 21 September 1900
{{DEFAULTSORT:Perskyi
Physicists from the Russian Empire
Inventors from the Russian Empire
Television pioneers
1854 births
1906 deaths