Plate Number 100. Turning and ascending stairs 1887

Eadweard Muybridge created this photographic plate as part of his series on human locomotion. The study presents a woman ascending stairs in a sequence of stop-motion images. What strikes me is how Muybridge uses the grid format to dissect movement into discrete units. Each frame captures a specific moment, yet the sequential arrangement invites us to piece together a fluid action. Notice how the folds of the woman’s dress and the position of her limbs change from frame to frame, revealing the mechanics of walking upstairs. This work destabilizes our perception of time. By freezing movement, Muybridge allows us to examine what typically eludes our attention. This exploration into the mechanics of motion laid the groundwork for cinema, forever changing how we perceive time and movement.