Plate Number 712. Dog; jumping hurdle; mastiff, Dread 1887

Eadweard Muybridge created this photographic sequence of a dog jumping a hurdle in the late 19th century. Muybridge’s images address the cultural obsession of that time: the desire to capture and understand motion. The strip of photographs documents each phase of the dog's leap, revealing details that the human eye couldn't perceive. It's crucial to remember that this wasn't merely an artistic endeavor. It was deeply enmeshed with the scientific and technological advancements of the era. The late 1800's was a time when scientists and inventors were exploring the possibilities of photography to study the world. Institutions such as the Royal Society and the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts funded and supported Muybridge's work. This image and others like it were revolutionary because they challenged existing ideas about how animals and humans moved. This piece prompts us to reflect on the relationship between art, science, and technology. It serves as a reminder that art is always shaped by the cultural and institutional context in which it is created.