Plate Number 201. Taking a 12-lb. basket from head and putting it on the ground 1887

This is Plate Number 201. Taking a 12-lb. basket from head and putting it on the ground, made by Eadweard Muybridge. The photographic print captures a sequence of movements, freezing moments in time to analyze human motion. Muybridge's work was driven by technological innovation, but also by deep social concerns. Here, the grid-like presentation emphasizes a scientific approach to understanding the body, reducing it to a series of data points. Yet, the subject's labor is also visible in the act of carrying and placing the heavy basket. This references the history of physical work and the relationship between humans and industrial processes in the 19th century. By documenting labor and movement through photography, Muybridge’s series, "Animal Locomotion," bridges the gap between art, science, and the everyday experience of work. The final image challenges the traditional hierarchy between fine art and the study of human activity, emphasizing the importance of material culture and technology in shaping our understanding of the world.