Praxinoscope or wheel of life on turned wooden stand with metal drum; with lampshade. (Also candlestick, not seen during Audit)
Invented by the French artist, Emile Reynaud (1844-1918) in 1877, the Praxinoscope is a simple scientific toy that makes still pictures come to life. It does not project light - it reflects it. The lamp is surrounded by a ring of pictures, showing an object at different stages of movement. The pictures face inwards, and opposite each one is a mirror. By turning a handle, the ring of pictures revolve and, if made to revolve fast enough, the separate reflections in each mirror appear to merge, giving the appearance of movement.
Details
- Category:
- Cinematography
- Object Number:
- 1916-327/1
- Materials:
- wood (unidentified), metal (unknown), mirror-glass (silvered) and brass (copper, zinc alloy)
- Measurements:
-
overall: 255 mm 215 mm,
- type:
- optical toy and praxinoscope
- credit:
- The National Media Museum, Bradford
