Eadweard Muybridge

Eadweard Muybridge, Zoopraxographer

Thom Andersen

Dean Stockwell, Eadweard Muybridge

Thom Andersen's remarkable and sadly neglected hour-long documentary adroitly combines biography, history, film theory, and philosophical reflection. Muybridge's photographic studies of animal locomotion in the 1870s were a major forerunner of movies; even more interesting are his subsequent studies of diverse people, photographed against neutral backgrounds.

Sallie Gardner at a Gallop

Eadweard Muybridge

Sallie Gardner, Gilbert Domm

Sallie Gardner at a Gallop was one of the earliest silent films — a production experiment by the photographer Eadward Muybridge on June 15, 1878 that led to the development of motion pictures. The motion picture consists of 24 photographs in a fast-motion series that were shown on a zoopraxiscope.

Capybara Walking

Eadweard Muybridge

Eadweard Muybridge photographs a capybara in motion.

Buffalo Running

Eadweard Muybridge

Individual photographs of the running of a buffalo shot in rapid succession.

Skeleton of Horse

Eadweard Muybridge

Skeleton of horse, running, leaving the ground, 1881.

Child Bringing Bouquet to Woman

Eadweard Muybridge

Eadweard Muybridge's motion photography film depicts a child bringing a bouquet of flowers to a topless woman who kisses his cheek.

Woman Walking Downstairs

Eadweard Muybridge

A woman walks downstairs.

Cockatoo Flying

Eadweard Muybridge

Plate 762 from Eadweard J. Muybridge’s Animal Locomotion (1884-86)

Woman Throwing Baseball

Eadweard Muybridge

A series of photographic images by photographer Eadweard Muybridge, showing a nude woman picking up a baseball and throwing it.

Semi-Nude Woman Hopping on Left Foot

Eadweard Muybridge

Two separate series of photographs, (one taken from the front, the other from the back) showing a nude woman jumping up and down on one foot.

Boys Playing Leapfrog: Side View

Eadweard Muybridge

A brief series photography by Eadweard Muybridge featuring two boys playing leapfrog.

Athlete Swinging a Pick

Eadweard Muybridge

Eadweard Muybridge

Elephant Walking

Eadweard Muybridge

A series of photographs picturing an elephant walking.

Lioness Walking

Eadweard Muybridge

A lioness walks.

Lion Walking

Eadweard Muybridge

A series of photographs depicting a male lion walking, shot by Eadweard Muybridge.

Chickens Scared by Torpedo

Eadweard Muybridge

Chickens are scared of a torpedo.