Plate Number 447. Woman taking a water jar from the shoulder of another woman

Art Historical Context

Eadweard Muybridge *Plate Number 447. Woman taking a water jar the shoulder of another woman* (1887) is a captivating entry from his groundbreaking *Animal Locomotion* series, at the University of Pennsylvania. Muybridge, a pioneering photographer captured sequences of human and animal movement using banks of up to 24 cameras triggered by electromagnetic shutters, freezing everyday actions into precise, analytical frames. This collotype print—image 18.2 × 42.6 cm on a larger 48.4 × 61.2 cm sheet—showcases two women in a fluid, collaborative motion, highlighting the grace and coordination of the human body. The collotype technique, a fine-art photomechanical process, allowed for rich tonal reproduction, making Muybridge's studies accessible beyond original negatives. His work revolutionized visual perception, bridging still photography and motion pictures; it influenced artists like Marcel Duchamp and filmmakers like the Lumière brothers. Originally purchased for the Corcoran Gallery in 1887, this piece now resides in the National Gallery of Art's Corcoran Collection. What makes this plate intriguing is its depiction of a mundane yet intimate task—evoking ancient water-carrying traditions—analyzed through Muybridge's scientific lens. It invites viewers to ponder the poetry in motion, transforming a simple gesture into a testament to human anatomy and kinetics.

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...