The Praxinoscope
By Christelle Odoux on Saturday, November 6 2010, 08:52 - Inventions - Permalink
The Praxinoscope was the first invention of Émile Reynaud in 1876. Patented in 1877, it's a toy giving the optical illusion of movement.
This toy received honorable mention at the Exposition Universelle in Paris in 1878.
The Praxinoscope incorporates the principle of William George Horner's Zoetrope, using a removable strip printed in a series of 12 drawings that makeup a cyclical movement. This strip is placed inside a drum rotating about an axis used as a base. Émile Reynaud added into the drum, on the same axis, a cylinder on which are arranged 12 facets of mirrors, each reflecting a drawing. A candlestick with a lampshade is placed on top of it. The animation can be seen with low light by several people (unlike the Phenakistiscope of Joseph Plateau).
With the cylinder system of mirrors, the viewer sees one drawing at once – the one reflected in the small mirror he has in front of him. With the rotation of the drum, the images replace each other without being hidden (unlike optical toys with slots), allowing a better visibility of drawings represented with small details and beautiful colors.
The Toy-Praxinoscope or mini Praxinoscope uses eight mirrors for strips of eight drawings. Some of these animations have been specially designed for this size.
