Phenakistiscope

Animated GIF of Prof. Stampfer's Stroboscopische Scheibe No. X (Trentsensky & Vieweg 1833)
A family viewing animations in a mirror through the slits of stroboscopic discs (detail of an illustration by E. Schule on the box label for Magic Disk - Disques Magiques, c. 1833)

The phenakistiscope (also known by the spellings phénakisticope or phenakistoscope) was the first widespread animation device that created a fluid illusion of motion. Dubbed Fantascope and Stroboscopische Scheiben ('stroboscopic discs') by its inventors, it has been known under many other names until the French product name Phénakisticope became common (with alternative spellings). The phenakistiscope is regarded as one of the first forms of moving media entertainment that paved the way for the future motion picture and film industry.[1] Similar to a GIF animation, it can only show a short continuous loop.

  1. ^ Prince, Stephen (2010). "Through the Looking Glass: Philosophical Toys and Digital Visual Effects" (PDF). Projections. 4 (2). Berghahn Journals. doi:10.3167/proj.2010.040203. ISSN 1934-9688.