Plate Number 161. Jumping, standing high jump 1887

Eadweard Muybridge created this photographic study, "Plate Number 161. Jumping, standing high jump," to dissect the act of a high jump. The image is structured as a grid, with each frame capturing a sequential moment, together forming a holistic view of motion. Muybridge’s work here is an analytical project. By isolating and ordering these moments, he invites us to reconsider how we perceive movement. There's a tension between the still image and the implied motion, disrupting our conventional understanding of space and time. The composition challenges the traditional artistic focus on a single, idealized moment. Instead, Muybridge presents a series, almost like a scientific chart. The grid format, similar to early experiments in seriality, underscores the shift from capturing a scene to systematically deconstructing an event. This photographic sequence transcends the purely representational, inviting viewers to engage with questions about the very nature of perception and representation.