Plate Number 214. Lifting a child from the ground and turning around 1887

Eadweard Muybridge made this photographic study, "Plate Number 214. Lifting a child from the ground and turning around," sometime between 1872 and 1885. This image is part of a larger series called "Animal Locomotion," which was published in 1887. Muybridge's photography was motivated by scientific curiosity. The work was commissioned by the University of Pennsylvania, reflecting the late 19th-century scientific and academic interest in understanding the mechanics of movement. The photographs were made in a specially constructed studio, with a grid backdrop allowing for precise measurement of the movement. It’s also worth noting the racialized history of scientific study that informs the project. Muybridge's images employ human models to advance scientific knowledge, often overlooking the identities and subjectivities of those individuals. This photograph encourages us to reflect on the complex social, cultural, and institutional forces that shaped the production and reception of art in the 19th century. Understanding the history of science, the history of photography, and the social context of the late 19th century helps us to better understand the image.