Plate Number 359. Charging bayonet

Art Historical Context

Eadweard Muy's *Plate Number 359. Charging Bayonet* (1887) captures a dramatic moment of human motion, part of his revolutionary *Animal Locomotion*. A pioneer in chronophotography, Muy used multiple cameras triggered in rapid succession to freeze and sequence movement, debunking myths about how bodies move—like the galloping horse. Here, a soldier lunges forward with bayonet fixed, his form dissected across 12 frames on a single sheet, revealing the raw kinetics of combat readiness. Printed as a collotype—a meticulous photomechanical process that faithfully reproduces fine details—this 48.4 × 61.1 cm sheet exemplifies Muybridge's blend of science and art. Acquired by the Corcoran Gallery in 1887 and now in the National Gallery of Art's Corcoran Collection, it highlights late 19th-century fascination with motion studies amid industrial and photographic innovation. This plate not only advanced scientific understanding of anatomy in action but also paved the way for cinema, influencing filmmakers like the Lumière brothers. Visitors, imagine the thrill of Muybridge's batteries of cameras clicking in unison—art that literally brought dynamism to the still image!

About the Artist

Eadweard Muybridge · 1830–1904

Eadweard Muybridge (1830-1904) was an English-American photographer who revolutionized the understanding of motion through his pioneering chronophotographic studies. Born Edward James Muggeridge in Kingston upon Thames, England, he emigrated to America and became famous first for his dramatic landscape photographs of Yosemite Valley, then for his groundbreaking motion studies that proved horses li...