Horses. Running. Phyrne L. No. 40 1879

This is "Horses. Running. Phyrne L. No. 40", by Eadweard Muybridge. It is made of photographic prints mounted on cardboard. Muybridge's work straddles the line between art and technology. He famously used a battery of cameras to capture the precise movements of animals, in this case a horse. The stop-motion effect was achieved by using a line of cameras with tripwires. As the horse ran by, it tripped the wires, triggering each camera in quick succession. The images are a product of the industrial revolution, and the rise of mass media. Photography itself was becoming more accessible, but the process still required technical skill and specialized equipment. By breaking down movement into discrete frames, Muybridge’s work anticipates cinema. Ultimately, “Horses Running” demonstrates how new technologies reshape our perception and representation of the world. It challenges our understanding of art by blending scientific inquiry with aesthetic vision.