Eadweard Muybridge
Who is Eadweard Muybridge?
Eadweard Muybridge, born Edward James Muggeridge on April 9, 1830 in Kingston upon Thames, England, was a pioneer of photography and chronophotography. He is best known for his photographic studies detailing the movement of animals and humans, works that played a crucial role in the development of motion pictures. Muybridge emigrated to the United States in 1855, where he adopted the name "Eadweard Muybridge" to reflect his Anglo-Saxon roots.
How did Muybridge go from bookseller to photographer?
Before becoming famous for his work in photography, Muybridge worked as a bookseller and book publisher. However, a serious stagecoach accident in 1860 marked a turning point in his life. During his convalescence, he turned to photography, beginning with landscapes and panoramas before devoting himself to studies of movement.
Did you know? Muybridge survived a stagecoach accident in 1860 that caused minor brain damage and may have influenced his move into photography.
What was the role of Leland Stanford in Muybridge's career?
Muybridge gained fame after being commissioned in 1872 by Leland Stanford, a wealthy businessman and horse enthusiast. Stanford wanted to prove that when a horse gallops, all of its feet leave the ground simultaneously. In 1877, Muybridge successfully captured this sequence of movements using multiple synchronized cameras, proving Stanford's theory with his series of photographs titled "The Horse in Motion."
Figure 1. “Horse in motion”
What is the zoopraxiscope?
In 1879, Muybridge invented the zoopraxiscope, a precursor to the film projector. This device allowed him to project his sequences of moving photographs, creating visual animation and making him one of the first to explore the concept of moving film.
Figure 2. Zoopraxiscope
Did you know? Muybridge's zoopraxiscope is considered one of the very first devices to project moving images, laying the foundations of modern cinema.
What is the importance of “Animal Locomotion”?
"Animal Locomotion," published in 1887, is a monumental work composed of 781 photographic plates that depict human and animal movements in minute detail. This work of unprecedented precision influenced artists, scientists and filmmakers by offering a new perspective on bodily movement, studied in fields such as anatomy, physiology and the visual arts.
Figure 3. “Animal Locomotion”
Quiz: Test your knowledge of Muybridge
1. What was Eadweard Muybridge's birth name?
2. In what year did Muybridge prove that all four hooves of a horse leave the ground simultaneously?
3. What device did Muybridge invent to project his moving photographs?
References
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