Élő szkeccsek. Performatív animáció az 1910-es évek magyar filmjében
Live sketches: Performative animation in Hungarian Film in the 1910s

Summary/Abstract: The discourse of Hungarian film history traditionally considers the segments of Harctéri karikatúrák (Battlefield Caricatures, 1915) and the publicist caricatures drawn by Marcell Vértes for Az Est Film (1918–1919) as the first surviving examples of Hungarian animated films. This study aims to reevaluate and reconsider this framing from two perspectives. First, while these works can retrospectively be classified as animated films through the lens of media archaeology—which examines the intersections of old and new media—this classification involves an anachronistic projection of the concept of animation. Drawing on previously overlooked international literature, the study argues that in this context, animation should not be equated with its modern understanding. Instead, these works align with early film’s tradition of illusionist attraction, emphasizing motion, living images, and the „magic” of film. Second, the study contends that these moving-image works cannot be analyzed solely within the framework of film history but require a broader media-historical approach. These films were never standalone pieces; rather, they emerged as performance-based creations tied to the legacy of popular stage entertainment and fairground attractions. To capture this hybrid nature, the study introduces the concept of „performative animation.” Analyzing this form necessitates considering not only the moving image but also stage performance, print media, the embodied act of drawing, transformation-based illustration, and the use of chalkboard media.

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