Praxinoscope
Encyclopedia
The praxinoscope was an animation
device, the successor to the zoetrope
. It was invented in France in 1877 by Charles-Émile Reynaud
. Like the zoetrope, it used a strip of pictures placed around the inner surface of a spinning cylinder. The praxinoscope improved on the zoetrope by replacing its narrow viewing slits with an inner circle of mirrors, placed so that the reflections of the pictures appeared more or less stationary in position as the wheel turned. Someone looking in the mirrors would therefore see a rapid succession of images producing the illusion of motion, with a brighter and less distorted picture than the zoetrope offered.
In 1889 Reynaud developed the Théâtre Optique
, an improved version capable of projecting images on a screen from a longer roll of pictures. This allowed him to show hand-drawn animated cartoon
s to larger audiences, but it was soon eclipsed in popularity by the photographic film projector of the Lumière brothers.
are played the animation images printed around the paper label animate. The mirror surfaced carousel sits on the turntable's spindle, reflecting the animation in such a way that while the record plays one gets to see an endlessly repeating animated cartoon. Later, 33⅓ rpm vinyl records with animation on the labels were also produced. In the sixties similar devices were in introduced in Europe with different names (Teddy in France and Netherlands, Mamil Moviton in Italy, etc.).
roots πραξι- (confer πρᾶξις "action") and scop- (confer σκοπός "watcher").
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
device, the successor to the zoetrope
Zoetrope
A zoetrope is a device that produces an illusion of action from a rapid succession of static pictures. The term zoetrope is from the Greek words "ζωή – zoe", "life" and τρόπος – tropos, "turn". It may be taken to mean "wheel of life"....
. It was invented in France in 1877 by Charles-Émile Reynaud
Charles-Émile Reynaud
Charles-Émile Reynaud was a French science teacher, responsible for the first projected animated cartoon films....
. Like the zoetrope, it used a strip of pictures placed around the inner surface of a spinning cylinder. The praxinoscope improved on the zoetrope by replacing its narrow viewing slits with an inner circle of mirrors, placed so that the reflections of the pictures appeared more or less stationary in position as the wheel turned. Someone looking in the mirrors would therefore see a rapid succession of images producing the illusion of motion, with a brighter and less distorted picture than the zoetrope offered.
In 1889 Reynaud developed the Théâtre Optique
Théâtre Optique
The Théâtre Optique was a moving picture show presented by Charles-Émile Reynaud in 1892. It was the first presentation of projected moving images to an audience, predating Auguste and Louis Lumière's first public performance by three years.- History :...
, an improved version capable of projecting images on a screen from a longer roll of pictures. This allowed him to show hand-drawn animated cartoon
Cartoon
A cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
s to larger audiences, but it was soon eclipsed in popularity by the photographic film projector of the Lumière brothers.
20th century revival
A 20th century adaptation of the praxinoscope were Red Raven Magic Mirror and records introduced, 1956 circa, in the USA. When the special 78 rpm children's picture recordsPicture disc
Picture discs are gramophone records that show images on their playing surface, rather than being of plain black or coloured vinyl.-Development:...
are played the animation images printed around the paper label animate. The mirror surfaced carousel sits on the turntable's spindle, reflecting the animation in such a way that while the record plays one gets to see an endlessly repeating animated cartoon. Later, 33⅓ rpm vinyl records with animation on the labels were also produced. In the sixties similar devices were in introduced in Europe with different names (Teddy in France and Netherlands, Mamil Moviton in Italy, etc.).
Etymology
The word praxinoscope translates roughly as "action viewer", from the GreekAncient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
roots πραξι- (confer πρᾶξις "action") and scop- (confer σκοπός "watcher").
See also
- ElectrotachyscopeElectrotachyscopeThe électrotachyscope is an 1887 invention of Ottomar Anschütz of Germany which presents the illusion of motion with transparent serial photographs, chronophotographs, arranged on a spinning wheel of fortune or mandala-like glass disc, significant as a technological development in the history of...
- Episcotister
- Flip bookFlip bookA flip book or flick book is a book with a series of pictures that vary gradually from one page to the next, so that when the pages are turned rapidly, the pictures appear to animate by simulating motion or some other change. Flip books are often illustrated books for children, but may also be...
- KinetoscopeKinetoscopeThe Kinetoscope is an early motion picture exhibition device. Though not a movie projector—it was designed for films to be viewed individually through the window of a cabinet housing its components—the Kinetoscope introduced the basic approach that would become the standard for all cinematic...
- PhenakistoscopePhenakistoscopeThe phenakistoscope was an early animation device that used the persistence of vision principle to create an illusion of motion.-History:...
- Strobe lightStrobe lightA strobe light or stroboscopic lamp, commonly called a strobe, is a device used to produce regular flashes of light. It is one of a number of devices that can be used as a stroboscope...
- TachometerTachometerA tachometer is an instrument measuring the rotation speed of a shaft or disk, as in a motor or other machine. The device usually displays the revolutions per minute on a calibrated analogue dial, but digital displays are increasingly common...
- ThaumatropeThaumatropeA thaumatrope is a toy that was popular in Victorian times.A disk or card with a picture on each side is attached to two pieces of string. When the strings are twirled quickly between the fingers the two pictures appear to combine into a single image due to persistence of vision.The invention of...
- ZoetropeZoetropeA zoetrope is a device that produces an illusion of action from a rapid succession of static pictures. The term zoetrope is from the Greek words "ζωή – zoe", "life" and τρόπος – tropos, "turn". It may be taken to mean "wheel of life"....
- ZoopraxiscopeZoopraxiscopeThe zoopraxiscope is an early device for displaying motion pictures. Created by photographic pioneer Eadweard Muybridge in 1879, it may be considered the first movie projector. The zoopraxiscope projected images from rotating glass disks in rapid succession to give the impression of motion. The...