Eadweard Muybridge

The first picture which comes to your mind when thinking about Muybridges work are his sequential pictures of horses which he has captured so well.

I'm not too familiar with his work, thus when walking in, I was surprised to see the variety of concepts which he has explored.

Eadweard Muybridge was the first figure to discover the fact that there is a certain point when a horse gallops, where all four legs are lifted off the ground and thus proving that horses can actually 'fly'. Not only did he capture pictures of horses, but in fact a variety of other subjects such as wrestling men, dancers, and many different animals.

His other works display shots of landscapes in different areas of America. Moving away from animal locomotion, one realizes the skill and dedication that Muybridge possesses. Carrying carts and heavy equipment just to reach such viewpoints is clearly reflected in his pictures of steep mountains and cliffs. There is an eerie feeling to this part of his work, and yet there is a feeling of relaxation, probably an emotion breathed when reaching such high points.

Lastly, another area which got my attention was the zoopraxiscope. The device was actually present for the viewers and I was completely fascinated with the mechanics of it. One gets to see how Muybridge was able to display motion so clearly.