Accession No
4410
Brief Description
Praxinoscope, with 9 card picture strips, by Emile Reynaud, French, c. 1890
Origin
Paris; France
Maker
Reynard. Emile
Class
optical
Earliest Date
1890
Latest Date
1900
Inscription Date
Material
paper; card; metal; plastic; wood; glass; brass; wax
Dimensions
Praxinoscope (when assembled) 425mm; diameter 215mm; picture strips breadth 54mm; length 659mm
Special Collection
Provenance
Inscription
LE PRAXINOSCOPE Brevete S.C.D.G
ER.INV.ET.DEL. PARIS
‘LE PRAXINOSCOPE
MÉD. DE BRONZE EXPON. UNIVELLE. 1889 MÉDAILLE D’ARGENT EXPON. 1879. PARIS
Le soir, placer sur le bougeoir, au centre, une bougie avec abat-jour.
fixer les extremités du dessin contre la barrette qui fait saillie à l’intérieur de la couronne
ER
PARIS’ (label above mirrors)
Description Notes
Praxinoscope, with 9 card picture strips, by Emile Reynaud, French, c. 1890.
Turned wooden base on which is set a cylindrical tin box with a central inner drum surrrrounded by rectangular mirrors. Strip of card carrying pictures set around inner circumference of box. Candle and candle holder set above the box, lampshade is set over the candle on a brass rod. Card strips for the praxinoscope/ cinescope are divided up in to 12 images that show a different stage of a movement. When placed in the cinescope machine and rotated at speed it appears the movement appears to be continuous, that action is taking place. Each cartoon strip is labelled as follows
No. 1 L’Aquarium. Image of a girl tempting fish in an aquarium
No. 2 Le Jongleur. Image of a male juggler plate spinning and juggling knives.
No. 3 L’Equilibriste. Image of the acrobat turning a barrel in the air with his feet.
No. 4 Le repas des poulets. A girl feeding the chickens.
No. 5 Les bulles de savon. A girl blowing bubbles
No. 6 Le rotisseur. Image of a cook roasting a large bird over an open fire.
No. 7 La danse sur la corde. Image of a female tightrope walker.
No. 8 Les Chiens savants. Image of a young boy with performing dogs.
No. 9 Le Jeu de corde. Image of a girl skipping.
No. 10 Zimm. Boum Boum!. Image of a young boy banging a large drum.
All images are in colour
Condition fair; complete (most other praxinoscope are compete with wooden case through a hole in which the images would be viewed)
References
Events
Description
The praxinoscope is a simple scientific toy that makes still pictures come to life; it creates the illusion of movement.
The praxinoscope was developed in the late 19th century and is similar to the zoetrope. The praxinoscope differed from its contemporaries because it made use of mirrors with which to view the 'moving image'.
A series of mirrors are fixed at the axis of the wheel (see the picture). The mirrors are fixed so that they rotate with the drum. There is one mirror for each image.
Images are drawn or painted on a strip of paper. Each image shows a different stage of movement. The 'ring' of images is then placed inside the drum facing inwards and opposite a mirror.
By turning a handle the drum and the ring of pictures turn. When the drum is turned fast enough, the separate images reflected in each mirror seem to merge, until the sequence of images began to move as one continuous action.
The praxinoscope could be arranged with a frame placed in front of it. This would give the impression of a theatrical performance as the viewer looked on at the scene before them.
01/02/2001
Created by: Toni Parker on 01/02/2001
FM:40402
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