Feeding the Chickens

A young lady throws corn to chickens that eagerly feast upon it. This simple premise gives rise to one of the more complex scenes animated by Émile Reynaud. Feeding the Chickens (1878) combines the regular motion of the human figure with the irregular activity of two birds, alongside the gradual descent of scattered corn kernels. The animator’s integration of varied techniques establishes the scene with convincing naturalness, allowing the work to present the medium as capable of reproducing reality for educational, informational, or entertainment purposes. By including this scene in the first series of strips for the Praxinoscope, Reynaud promoted the expressive potential of animation decisively from its very outset.