Plate Number 260. Arising from couch and stretching arms 1887

Eadweard Muybridge made this photographic print, "Plate Number 260," by combining multiple images. In the late 19th century, Muybridge worked in the United States using innovative techniques to capture movement. This image exemplifies Muybridge's studies of human locomotion. By isolating and documenting these actions, Muybridge sought to break down and understand the mechanics of the human body. The grid-like presentation reflects a scientific approach, categorizing movement for analysis. This was the time when institutions of science were interested in cataloguing the nature. But it also raises questions about the role of the human subject. Stripped bare and placed against a neutral backdrop, the figure seems more like an object of study than an individual. It exposes the politics of imagery, and how it reflects power dynamics of the time. To understand Muybridge fully, we can look into the history of photography and also the social attitudes toward the body in the 19th century. Only then will we understand the complex cultural forces that shaped this image.