Plate Number 179. Stepping on and over a rock, a basket on head and right hand raised 1887

Eadweard Muybridge made this photographic study, "Plate Number 179", in the late 19th century using a multi-camera setup to capture a woman’s movement as she steps over a rock. Born in England, Muybridge spent much of his career in the United States where he became known for his pioneering work in photographic studies of motion. During this period, photography was increasingly seen as a scientific tool. Figures like Muybridge were contributing to a broader cultural interest in the objective analysis and categorization of human and animal movement. However, the serial nature of Muybridge’s photographs also reveal the close affinities between scientific and artistic modes of representation. To fully understand Muybridge's work, one might consider the history of science, the visual culture of the late 19th century, and the social implications of representing the human body in motion. The power of art, after all, lies in its ability to illuminate the complex interplay between culture, technology, and the human experience.