Eadweard Muybridge's Zoopraxiscope

Eadweard Muybridge (1830–1904)

"The Horse in Motion":

...commissioned by Leland Stanford:

Here's an animated version:

And here's a zoopraxiscope disc:

You can listen to, or read, this NPR feature on the 2010 Corcoran Gallery Exhibit.  And there's a big book of Muybridge photographs—or you can download the complete text of Animal Locomotion here.  Also check out Rebecca Solnit's book.