Skipping Rope [Le Jeu de corde] (1878)

Written By Ion Martea

Director: Émile Reynaud
France (formerly French Republic)
1878

The infinite motion sensation created by Émile Reynaud's Praxinoscope is best seen in his "Skipping Rope" (1878), a work that is ultimately designed to sell an invention that dared to make static images move with live-like speed. These rudimentary images appear to strip the complexity of animation to its bare bones by focusing on a limited number of movements, namely the jumping action triggered by the flexing of the arms holding the skipping rope. This illusion is however enhanced by the rhythmic movement of the girl’s pigtails, whilst the ribbons in her hair resemble flying butterflies. As always, Reynaud’s art surprises with its meticulous attention to detail.

Ion Martea

Ion Martea is a British award-winning poet, novelist and critic, and the founding editor of Essential Films.

https://www.essential-films.co.uk/ion-martea
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Dzing. Boom. Boom! [Zim, Boum, Boum] (1878)