[Horse and Rider Galloping] 1883 - 1886

This is Eadweard Muybridge's, *Horse and Rider Galloping,* now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It is a photograph that captures a series of moments showing a horse in motion, with a rider. What strikes you first is the grid-like structure, which displays the sequence of the horse's movement, almost like frames of a film. Muybridge used multiple cameras to capture these images, freezing moments in time. The composition reveals how each part of the movement contributes to the whole action. The choice of monochrome reduces the scene to essential forms and lines, which emphasizes the mechanical objectivity of the camera's eye. This project was more than just an artistic venture; it was a scientific inquiry into understanding animal locomotion. Muybridge’s work challenges our perception, questioning our assumptions about what we see versus what actually happens. It destabilizes our fixed views, urging us to consider motion and time. The structural arrangement here is not merely a presentation technique but a statement about dissecting reality. Think about how this innovative approach changed the course of visual studies and artistic expressions forever.