The Clowns

To conclude his exhibition of the Praxinoscope at the Paris Universal Exposition of 1878, Émile Reynaud selected a particularly engaging subject. The Clowns (1878) presents three circus performers executing somersaults around a horse. The scene is rich in action and unfolds at a rapid pace, inviting celebratory applause in recognition of the new invention of projected moving images presented to an audience. There is little doubt that positioning this strip at the end of the series was a deliberate strategy, intended to elevate the viewers’ spirits and encourage a positive response. With this short work, Reynaud initiated the acceptance of animation as a form of popular entertainment.