Plate Number 80. Ascending an incline with a 20-lb. basket on head 1887

Eadweard Muybridge made this photographic study, "Plate Number 80. Ascending an incline with a 20-lb. basket on head" in the late 19th century. It’s one of many such plates intended to capture and analyze human and animal movement. Muybridge worked in an era gripped by scientific positivism. His motion studies reflect a desire to understand the world through empirical observation and documentation, mirroring a broader cultural interest in cataloging and classifying knowledge. This project was produced at the University of Pennsylvania, representing a collaboration between an academic institution and a photographer keen to break new ground in the field of visual studies. The choice of photographing a nude figure is telling. It speaks to the scientific ambition to study the human form without cultural or social distractions. It also raises ethical questions about objectification. Looking deeper into the institutional history of photography and science, we can examine the ways in which these images were used, circulated, and interpreted by different audiences. By exploring archives and publications from that era, we can gain insights into the complex social dynamics that shaped the production and reception of this artwork.