The Strong Man

The Herculean figure at the centre of The Strong Man (1878) is shown holding a heavy weight in his left hand while juggling another with his right. The animation forms part of Émile Reynaud’s third series of strips for the Praxinoscope, continuing his exploration of circus performances. The drawn routine is basic in its premise, lacking the flair present in other comparable works from his oeuvre. The circular motion of the weight in flight appears unbalanced when set against the static one, resulting in an unconvincing evocation of a live circus act. The animator’s choice of action suggests that this strip functioned primarily as an experiment, despite the fact that it was publicly projected.