Plate Number 204. Stooping to pick up a ball 1887

Eadweard Muybridge created this photographic study of a woman's movement, "Plate Number 204. Stooping to pick up a ball" during the late 19th century. At a time of burgeoning scientific inquiry and rigid social norms, Muybridge meticulously captured a nude woman's gestures, freezing her actions into discrete frames. Note how the grid format is reminiscent of scientific observation. The nudity of the subject invites us to consider the historical objectification of women’s bodies within both scientific and artistic contexts. By methodically dissecting and recording her movements, Muybridge transformed the model into a specimen for examination. The final presentation lacks the subjectivity of lived experience, instead focusing on the mechanical aspects of motion. As we consider the artwork, we may ask ourselves: Does the clinical observation override the model's individuality? Or does the breakdown and isolation of the body invite us to focus on a celebration of movement?