The Smoker

A man is smoking his pipe whilst his dog seeks his attention. In “The Smoker” (1878), the movement is limited to the floating smoke and the animal’s barking and wagging its tail. This is another of Émile Reynaud’s animations in which ordinary scenes are constructed to evoke a resemblance to real life, whilst also exploring his drawing capabilities, which would later lead to the illusion of motion when rotated in the Praxinoscope. This simplicity, though lacking exceptionality, lends itself to a sense of tranquillity when viewed, allowing the audience to connect with the moving image on an emotional and sensory level.