Modern Replica of Victorian Zoetrope
Courtesy of Andrew Dunn
Zoetrope was patented by William Lincoln in 1867. He received Patent Number 64,117. A zoetrope produces the illusion of a moving picture by creating two cylinders, one inside the other. The outer cylinder contains paintings. The inner cylinder has slits in its side. When the inner cylinder turns, observers see the images on the outer cylinder move. Quite popular in the 1880’s, zoetropes have found new homes in long subway station platforms. Children could see an amazing Pixar video of a zoetrope at: Zoetrope.