Plate Number 242. Placing chair, sitting and flirting a fan 1887

Eadweard Muybridge created this photographic sequence, Plate Number 242, as part of his study on human locomotion. Its sepia tones and grid-like composition offer a mechanical yet strangely elegant view of movement. Note how Muybridge breaks down a simple action—placing a chair, sitting, and using a fan—into discrete moments. This dissection of movement is reminiscent of cubist strategies where objects are fragmented and represented from multiple viewpoints simultaneously. The grid format also suggests a kind of scientific method, categorizing and analyzing motion as if it were a specimen under a microscope. Yet, the flowing dress of the woman and the gentle arc of her fan introduce an element of grace that contrasts with the rigid structure of the frame. In this work, Muybridge effectively destabilizes the traditional understanding of a static image, offering instead a dynamic interplay between form and movement, science and art.