The Juggler

Of all circus acts, juggling seems best suited to loop animation. In “The Juggler” (1878), Émile Reynaud enhanced the routine by adding to the juggled knives a multicoloured rotating plate, supported on a pole balanced on the performer’s face. Drawing might have allowed the artist to pursue greater acrobatic complexity; however, it is impressive how firmly Reynaud remained faithful to reality. The projected motion is therefore not a fantastical invention, but a documented reproduction of a live performance. This approach reinforces the argument that, throughout his work, Reynaud sought to produce movement that is recognisable through its naturalness. Adults and children alike would have watched in amazement, at both the juggler’s skill and the invention of animated motion projection.