Descriptive Zoopraxography - Part 7
Library

Part 7

_APPENDIX B._

ANIMAL LOCOMOTION.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATES.

The results of the investigation executed for the University of Pennsylvania are

SEVEN HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-ONE SHEETS OF ILl.u.s.tRATIONS,

containing more than 20,000 figures of men, women, and children, animals and birds, actively engaged in walking, galloping, flying, working, jumping, fighting, dancing, playing at base-ball, cricket, and other athletic games, or other actions incidental to every-day life, which ill.u.s.trate motion or the play of muscles.

These sheets of ill.u.s.trations are conventionally called "plates."

EACH PLATE IS COMPLETE IN ITSELF WITHOUT REFERENCE TO ANY OTHER PLATE,

and ill.u.s.trates the successive phases of a single action, photographed with automatic electro-photographic apparatus at regulated and accurately recorded intervals of time, _consecutively_ from one point of view; or, _consecutively_ AND _synchronously_ from _two_, or from _three_ points of view.

A series of twelve consecutive exposures, from each of the three points of view, are represented by an outline tracing on a small scale of plate 579, a complete stride of a horse walking; the intervals of exposures are recorded as being one hundred and twenty-six one-thousandths of a second.

[Ill.u.s.tration: REDUCED OUTLINE TRACING OF PLATE 579.--"ANIMAL LOCOMOTION."]

[Ill.u.s.tration: REDUCED TRACING OF SOME PHASES FROM PLATE 758.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: REDUCED TRACINGS OF PLATE 347.]

When one of the series of foreshortenings is made at a right angle with the lateral series the arrangement of the phases is usually thus:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Laterals.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Rear Foreshortenings from points of view on the same vertical line, at an angle of 90 deg.

from the Laterals.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Front Foreshortenings from points of view on the same horizontal plane, at suitable angles from the Laterals.

The plates are not _photographs_ in the common acceptation of the word, but are printed in PERMANENT INK, from gelatinised copper-plates, by the New York Photo-Gravure Company, on thick linen plate-paper.

The size of the paper is 45 60 centimetres--(19 24 inches), and the printed surface varies from 15 45 to 20 30 centimetres--(6 18 to 9 12 inches).

The number of figures on each plate varies from 12 to 36.

To publish so great a number of plates as one undivided work was considered unnecessary, for each subject tells its own story; and inexpedient, for it would defeat the object which the University had in view, and limit its acquisition to wealthy individuals, large Libraries, or Inst.i.tutions where it would be beyond the reach of many who might desire to study it.

It has, therefore, been decided to issue a series of One Hundred Plates, which number, for the purposes of publication, will be considered as a "COPY" of the work. These one hundred plates will probably meet the requirements of the greater number of the subscribers.

In accordance with this view is re-issued the following prospectus.

PROSPECTUS

ANIMAL LOCOMOTION,

AN ELECTRO-PHOTOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATION OF CONSECUTIVE PHASES OF ANIMAL MOVEMENTS,

BY

EADWEARD MUYBRIDGE.

Commenced, 1872--Completed, 1885.

PUBLISHED 1887, UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA.

_Exclusively by Subscription_.

CONSISTING OF A SERIES OF

ONE HUNDRED PLATES,

AT A SUBSCRIPTION PRICE OF

ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS For the United States, or TWENTY GUINEAS For Great Britain;

Or the equivalent of Twenty Guineas in the gold currency of other countries in Central or Western Europe.

The Plates are enclosed in a strong, canvas-lined, full AMERICAN-RUSSIA LEATHER PORTFOLIO.

Additional Plates in any required number will be supplied to the subscriber at the same proportionate rate; these, however, must be ordered at the same time as the subscription Plates.

It was considered inadvisable to make an _arbitrary_ selection of the one hundred Plates offered to subscribers, and with the object of meeting, as far as possible, their diverse requirements, they are invited to make their own selection, either from the subjoined list of subjects, or from a detailed catalogue, which will be forwarded free of expense to every subscriber.

The following are the numbers of Plates published of each cla.s.s of subjects, from which the subscriber's selection can be made:--

Cla.s.s. Plates Published.

1. Men, draped 6 2. " pelvis cloth 72 3. " nude 133 4. Women, draped 60 5. " transparent drapery and semi-nude 63 6. " nude 180 7. Children, draped 1 8. " nude 15 9. Movements of a man's hand 5 10. Abnormal movements, men and women, nude and semi-nude 27 11. Horses walking, trotting, galloping, jumping, &c. 95 12. Mules, oxen, dogs, cats, goats, and other domestic animals 40 13. Lions, elephants, buffaloes, camels, deer, and other wild animals 57 14. Pigeons, vultures, ostriches, eagles, cranes and other birds 27 --- Total number of Plates 781 Containing more than 20,000 Figures.

Should the selection be made from the Catalogue, it will be advisable to give the Author permission to change any one of the selected Plates for any other ill.u.s.trating the same action, if, in his judgment, the subst.i.tuted Plate ill.u.s.trates that action with a better model, or in a more perfect manner than the one selected.

With regard to the selection of Plates, however, it has been found by experience that unless any special subject or plate is required it will be more satisfactory to the subscriber if he gives the Author GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS as to the CLa.s.s of subjects desired and to leave the SPECIFIC selection to him.

Many of the large Libraries and Art or Science Inst.i.tutions in America and in Europe have subscribed for, and have now in their possession, a complete series of the seven hundred and eighty-one Plates, the subscription price for which is

FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS