Plate Number 44. Walking and taking off a hat 1887

This is "Plate Number 44. Walking and taking off a hat" by Eadweard Muybridge. It’s one of many chronophotographic studies that Muybridge produced using photographic technology. Made in the late 19th century, likely in the United States, it captures discrete phases of movement. It renders visible what the human eye cannot perceive. This was cutting-edge science at the time and, for some, an art form. This pursuit of scientific truth through visual means was very much a product of its time. Enlightenment ideals elevated science as a method of understanding the world. The grid behind the figure is a scientific tool, but it also frames the man, almost like a specimen. Note the hat being removed, perhaps a nod to social etiquette of the period. In the late 19th century, class and social interactions were governed by strict rules and conventions. To fully understand this work, we need to research the history of photography, the science of motion studies, and the social norms of the late 19th century. Art is always embedded in its time.