Phenakistoscope

The phenakistoscope (also known by the spellings phénakisticope or phenakistiscope) was the first widespread animation device that created a fluid illusion of motion. Dubbed Fantascope and Stroboscopische Scheiben ('stroboscopic discs') by its inventors, it has been known under many other names until the French product name Phénakisticope became common (along with alternative spellings). The phenakistiscope is regarded as one of the first forms of moving media entertainment that paved the way for the future motion picture and film industry. Similar to a GIF animation, it displays a short continuous loop.

Etymology and spelling

When the product name 'phénakisticope' was introduced in the French newspaper Le Figaro on 27 June 1833, it was explained to be from the Greek words phenakisticos for 'to deceive' and ops for 'eye' (φενακιστικός, or rather φενακίζειν phenakizein, and ὄψ or ὤψ ), so it was presumably intended to mean 'optical deception' or 'optical illusion'.

The term phénakisticope was first used by the French company Alphonse Giroux et Compagnie in their application for an import license (29 May 1833) and this name was used on their box sets. Fellow Parisian publisher Junin also used the term 'phenakisticope' (both with and without the accent).

Inventor Joseph Plateau did not give a name for the device when he first published about it in January 1833. Later in 1833, he used 'phénakisticope' in an article to refer to the published versions that he was not involved with. By then, he had an authorized set published as Phantasmascope (by Ackermann in London), some months later changed into Fantascope for a new edition and sets by other animators.