Plate Number 251. Kneeling on left knee with a basket in left hand and rising 1887

This is Plate Number 251, made by Eadweard Muybridge, who was born in 1830 and died in 1904. It presents a series of photographic stills capturing a woman's movement as she rises from a kneeling position, holding a basket. The composition is rigidly structured, dividing the sequence into a grid. This formal arrangement serves to dissect movement into discrete units, effectively freezing time. Muybridge's work goes beyond mere representation, challenging our perception of temporality. The scientific objectivity is striking. We witness the human form deconstructed and reassembled, inviting us to contemplate the relationship between stillness and motion. The stark contrast and the play of light and shadow add depth, emphasizing the body's form. Muybridge prompts reflection on how we perceive and understand motion. This work, with its almost clinical approach, destabilizes traditional notions of movement, presenting it as a series of frozen moments.