Plate Number 142. Descending stairs and turning, dress caught 1887

Eadweard Muybridge's "Plate Number 142. Descending stairs and turning, dress caught," from 1887, is a photographic sequence that captures the motion of a woman descending a staircase. Muybridge's pioneering work in photographic studies of movement helped revolutionize our understanding of human and animal locomotion. The series of images, presented in a grid format, shows the woman's body in various positions, allowing us to see the subtle shifts and adjustments she makes as she negotiates the stairs. This work is a crucial example of the development of photography and its ability to reveal the invisible, making it an important piece in the history of art and science.