The Roaster

Among Émile Reynaud’s first series of animated strips, "The Roaster" (1878) appears as one of the most accomplished works of the cycle. The human movements are mainly limited to the cook bending and pouring the roasting mixture over the rotating spit roast before an open fire. At first glance, there is little that distinguishes this animation from others in the series. On closer inspection, however, Reynaud’s meticulous attention to the reproduction of the movement of different forms of matter becomes apparent, particularly in the flaming fire, the trickling of the watery juices and, most importantly, the smoke and steam filling the fireplace in chaotic splendour. With this short, the animator achieved a complete demonstration that any movement can be reproduced through detailed drawing.