Stroboscopic Toys COM 320, History of the Moving Image

Peter Mark Roget’s essay on persistence of vision (1824, England)

Thaumatrope (from the Greek “wonder turning”) – Dr. John Paris (1825) –spinning disk with complementary drawings on the two sides (e.g., horse + rider = horse with rider; bird + cage = bird in cage)

Thaumatrope in action found at ( ol1xOW_Qzk) ol1xOW_Qzk

Phenakistoscope (from the Greek “deceptive viewer”) -Joseph Plateau(1832, Belgium)—also determined 16fr./sec. to be optimal -Coincidentally, same as Simon Ritter von Stampfer’s Stroboscope (1832, Austria)

Zoetrope (from the Greek “wheel of life”) -William George Horner(1834, England)— a revolving drum with hand-drawn stills viewed through slits

Magic Lantern -Appeared in early forms as early as late 1600’s -Popular in mid-1800’s, with moving pictures via “dissolving views”

Magic Lantern Animations

Praxinoscope -Emile Reynaud (1877, France)—like a zoetrope, but with mirrors; Reynaud later developed a projecting version, and operated his own Theatre Optique from 1892 to 1900

Praxinoscope Animations

Zoopraxiscope -Eadweard Muybridge (1879, U.S.)—an apparent combo. of the phenakistoscope and the projected Magic Lantern; was not the first such combo., but became prominent with Muybridge’s speaking tours.

-Zoopraxiscope disc -Zoopraxiscope Animation

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