Plate Number 136. Descending stairs, a full demijohn on shoulder 1887

Eadweard Muybridge created this photographic study, Plate Number 136, as part of his broader investigation into human and animal locomotion. Made in the 1880s, the image dissects the simple action of descending stairs, offering a scientific perspective on movement. The subject, a nude male figure, is captured in a series of sequential images, first with a basket on his head, then with a large bottle, or demijohn, on his shoulder. In a society that was rapidly industrializing, photography played an important role as a tool for scientific observation and documentation. However, it also raised questions about the nature of representation and the role of the artist, or in this case, the photographer, as a creator of images. For the art historian, understanding Muybridge’s work involves delving into the social, economic, and intellectual context of the late 19th century. We can look at sources in the history of science, and the records of institutions that promoted this new technology. The meaning of art is always contingent on these contexts.