Animal Locomotion. An Electro-Photographic Investigation... of Animal Movements. Commenced 1872 - Completed 1885. Volume VII, Men and Woman (Draped) Miscellaneous Subjects 1880s

Eadweard Muybridge created this series of photographs, entitled Animal Locomotion, between 1872 and 1885, using a battery of cameras to capture successive phases of movement. The photographic process itself is key here. The gelatin silver print, a relatively new technology at the time, allowed for mass reproduction and distribution of images. This was critical for Muybridge's project, which aimed to scientifically catalog movement. The very act of freezing motion through photography offered a new way of seeing and understanding the body. Consider the labor involved: setting up the cameras, developing the prints, and meticulously arranging them in sequences. It reflects a modern, almost industrial approach to art-making. Muybridge wasn't just creating images; he was producing data. This project challenged traditional notions of the artist as a solitary genius, and shows the intersection of art, science, and the burgeoning industrial age.