MUYBRIDGE ZOOPRAXISCOPE WALTZING COUPLE 1893

1893
ZOOPRAXISCOPE WALTZING COUPLE
EADWEARD JAMES MUYBRIDGE (1830-1904)
On the screen, this is what you would see. The painted images of the ‘Waltzing Couple’ that were painted from the original Photographs onto the glass disk. Exhibited as ‘Moving Pictures. The ‘Zoopraxiscope’ operated by projecting images (drawn from photographs in most cases) rapidly and in succession onto the screen.

Muybridge's Chronophotography of horses in motion began in 1872 at Leland Stanford's stock farm near Palo Alto. His work here was irregular until 1881. His most consistent and concentrated period was between 1877 and 1878.

Muybridge demonstrated his ‘Zoopraxoscope’ in a lecture series titled ‘Descriptive Zoopraxography’ in the Zoopraxographical Hall (pictured) at the Chicago Columbian Exposition in 1893. Muybridge's reputation remained unblemished even after his partnership with Stanford soured in 1883 due to the publishing of a book that had another claiming credit for Muybridge's work.

Muybridge's repute was such that he was quickly given a contract to continue his work at The University of Pennsylvania, where he focused on wild and domestic animals, humans, and horses. It lasted from May 1884 to January 1886.

The ‘Zoopraxoscope’ glass disks were painted by Erwin F. Faber and/or Thomas Eakins. These painted disks were then printed onto new discs photographically. The Langenheim ‘Hyalotype’ process was available since 1850 but I have never come across this as the process used. However, outside of science its not Sallie’s hooves that are best recalled. It’s the movies that E. J. Muybridge is best remembered for. -30-