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Phenakistoscope, Zoetrope

Early optical illusion moving image devicesCreated by: LOC's Public Domain ArchiveDated: 1833
Politeness - Drawing. Public domain image.
In 1832, Belgian physicist Joseph Plateau and his sons introduced the phenakistoscope ("spindle viewer"). It was also invented independently in the same year by Simon von Stampfer of Vienna, Austria, who called his invention a stroboscope.
The phenakistoscope consisted of two discs mounted on the same axis. The first disc had slots around the edge, and the second contained drawings of successive action, drawn around the disc in concentric circles. Unlike Faraday's Wheel, whose pair of discs spun in opposite directions, a phenakistoscope's discs spin together in the same direction. When viewed in a mirror through the first disc's slots, the pictures on the second disc will appear to move.
After going to market, the phenakistoscope received other names, including Phantasmascope and Fantoscope (and phenakistiscope in Britain and many other countries). It was quite successful for two years until William George Horner invented the zoetrope, which offered two improvements on the phenakistoscope. First, the zoetrope did not require a viewing mirror. The second and most influential improvement was that more than one person could view the moving pictures at the same time.
20 Media in collection ∙ page 1 of 1
The bogle - Public domain dedication image

The bogle - Public domain dedication image

Optical illusion disc which is spun displaying the illusion of motion of a couple on a seesaw in a circle at the center of the disc and a man with an ax attempting to chop a lizard in a circle at the outer edge... More

[Optical illusion disc with man pumping water]

[Optical illusion disc with man pumping water]

The disc is spun displaying the illusion of motion of a man pumping water in a circle at the outer edge of the disc. Published in: McLean's optical illusions; or magic panorama. London, T. McLean, 1833. Exhibit... More

The zoopraxiscope - a couple waltzing

The zoopraxiscope - a couple waltzing

Images on a disc which when spun gives the illusion of a couple dancing. 14699Y U.S. Copyright Office. No. 35. Copyright by Eadweard Muybridge. Exhibited: "Moving Pictures : The Un-easy Relationship between Am... More

[Optical illusion disc with man and frog]

[Optical illusion disc with man and frog]

The disc is spun displaying the illusion of motion of a ball passing between a frog in a circle at the center of the disc and a man in a circle at the outer edge of the disc. Published in: McLean's optical illu... More

[Optical illusion disc with somersaults and horseback riding]

[Optical illusion disc with somersaults and horseback riding]

The disc is spun displaying the illusion of motion of a figure doing somersaults in a circle at the center of the disc and a man horseback riding in a circle at the outer edge of the disc. Published in: McLean'... More

[Optical illusion disc with a face catching a ball and a man with blackface taking a bow]

[Optical illusion disc with a face catching a ball and a man with blac...

The disc is spun displaying the illusion of motion of a face catching a ball in a circle at the center of the disc and a man with blackface taking a bow in a circle at the outer edge of the disc. Published in: ... More

The zoopraxiscope--Horse galloping

The zoopraxiscope--Horse galloping

Images on a disc which when spun gives the illusion of a man riding a galloping horse. 14706Y U.S. Copyright Office. No. 42. Copyright by Eadweard Muybridge. Exhibited: "Moving Pictures : The Un-easy Relations... More

The zoopraxiscope--Athletes--Boxing

The zoopraxiscope--Athletes--Boxing

Images on a disc which when spun gives the illusion of two men boxing. 14666Y U.S. Copyright Office. No. 2. Copyright by Eadweard Muybridge. Exhibited: "Moving Pictures : The Un-easy Relationship between Ameri... More

[Optical illusion disc with man jumping rope and a man sticking out his tongue]

[Optical illusion disc with man jumping rope and a man sticking out hi...

The disc is spun displaying the illusion of motion of a man with black-face jumping rope in a circle at the center of the disc and of a man sticking out his tongue in a circle at the outer edge of the disc. Pub... More

[Optical illusion disc with two men throwing and catching cakes and stars]

[Optical illusion disc with two men throwing and catching cakes and st...

The disc is spun displaying the illusion of motion of a man tossing cakes and stars in a circle at the center of the disc to a man seated on a box with a crown on it in a circle at the outer edge of the disc. P... More

Politeness - Drawing. Public domain image.

Politeness - Drawing. Public domain image.

Optical illusion disc which is spun displaying the illusion of motion of a man bowing and a woman curtsying to each other in a circle at the outer edge of the disc. Published in: McLean's optical illusions; or ... More

The zoopraxiscope - a horse back somersault

The zoopraxiscope - a horse back somersault

Images on a disc which when spun gives the illusion of a man doing a somersault on horseback. 14571Y U.S. Copyright Office. No. 1. Copyright by Eadweard Muybridge. Exhibited: Helios: Eadweard Muybridge in a Ti... More

The zoopraxiscope - a horse back somersault

The zoopraxiscope - a horse back somersault

Images on a disc which when spun gives the illusion of a man doing a somersault on horseback. 14571Y U.S. Copyright Office. No. 1. Copyright by Eadweard Muybridge. Exhibited: Helios: Eadweard Muybridge in a Ti... More

The zoopraxiscope--Horse galloping

The zoopraxiscope--Horse galloping

Images on a disc which when spun gives the illusion of a man riding a galloping horse. 14706Y U.S. Copyright Office. No. 42. Copyright by Eadweard Muybridge. Exhibited: "Moving Pictures : The Un-easy Relations... More

The desert - Public domain dedication image

The desert - Public domain dedication image

Public domain scan of lithograph illustration, free to use, no copyright restrictions image - Picryl description

[Optical illusion disc with birds, butterflies, and a man jumping]

[Optical illusion disc with birds, butterflies, and a man jumping]

The disc is spun displaying the illusion of motion of a man jumping from a pole in a circle at the center of the disc and of a birds and butterflies in flight in a circle at the outer edge of the disc. Publishe... More

The zoopraxiscope - a couple waltzing

The zoopraxiscope - a couple waltzing

Images on a disc which when spun gives the illusion of a couple dancing. 14699Y U.S. Copyright Office. No. 35. Copyright by Eadweard Muybridge. Exhibited: "Moving Pictures : The Un-easy Relationship between Am... More

The zoopraxiscope--Athletes--Boxing

The zoopraxiscope--Athletes--Boxing

Images on a disc which when spun gives the illusion of two men boxing. 14666Y U.S. Copyright Office. No. 2. Copyright by Eadweard Muybridge. Exhibited: "Moving Pictures : The Un-easy Relationship between Ameri... More

The zoopraxiscope--Athletes--Boxing

The zoopraxiscope--Athletes--Boxing

Images on a disc which when spun gives the illusion of two men boxing. 14666Y U.S. Copyright Office. No. 2. Copyright by Eadweard Muybridge. Exhibited: "Moving Pictures : The Un-easy Relationship between Ameri... More

Afraid of nobody - Lithograph, public domain, Library of Congress

Afraid of nobody - Lithograph, public domain, Library of Congress

Optical illusion disc which is spun displaying the illusion of motion of a bird taking off and landing in a circle at the center of the disc and of a man running away from another man in a circle at the outer e... More