Gymnasts from the Ecole de Joinville – Elephants
et zebus too (2)
While ordinary recruits were subjected to odographic and
dynamographic measurements at the same time as they were being
chronophotographed, so that muscular force and the fatigue
effect of all variations of the walk, run and jump were charted,
at the Station. François Franck and Morin, Pradelle, Schenkel
and Viala, top members of the Parisian gymnastic circles and
some of the best students from the Joinville Academy whose names
we know from the notations made by Marey and Demenÿ on the
negatives, were chronophotographed in every kind of exercise.
In 1886, the soldiers and gymnasts found themselves
sharing the station with more exotic subjects. Marey
borrowed two elephants and Zébus trotteurs attelés from
the jardin zoologique d’Acclimatation de Paris. The
elephants’ joints were suitably marked with dots,
crosses and other shapes cut out of white paper before
they were made to walk and run for the new camera while
the zébus were chronophotographed with their Cynghalais
drivers. . |
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The following summer Albert Londe brought four
Arabian horses - complete with their Arab riders in
flowing native dress - to be chronophotographed. |
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