Zoetrope
| Description: |
The zoetrope or “wheel of life” was invented in 1834 as an optical toy that creates the illusion of motion. In this zoetrope, the images of a woodchopper are placed around the inside of a simple drum with an open top. There are slots around the outer surface of the drum. When the drum is spun on its central axis, you can look through the slots on the outside and see the woodchopper images moving rapidly by. The faster you spin the drum, it appears as if the woodchopper is actually cutting wood. Several people could be entertained at once by this toy. By the time moving pictures were introduced in the 1900s, optical toys like the zoetrope became less popular. |
|---|---|
| Source: |
http://www.digitalindy.org/cdm/ref/collection/tcm/id/1768 |
| Collection: |
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis |
| Rights: | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/; |
| Copyright: |
Creative Commons (CC By-SA 3.0); |
| Subjects: |
Zoetropes Optical illusions 19th century Toys Motion Pictures -- History |
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