Info « Muybridge's Horse

ABOUT MUYBRIDGE’S HORSE

As the legend has it, the initial “Horse in Motion” photographs by Eadweard Muybridge in 1878 were the result of a bet. Former California governor Leland Stanford enlisted the photographer (and acquitted murderer of Mrs. Muybridge’s lover) to prove correct Stanford’s position on an old argument: whether all four of a horse’s feet were at one time off the ground while in motion.

To make a long story short, Muybridge devised a system of numerous cameras in a line, the shutter of each tripped by a thread as the horse galloped past. His results astounded members of the art world, particularly Western painters, who had, until this moment, been representing animals in the “rocking horse posture,” with front and rear legs extended.

To me, this point in history marks the beginning of man’s use of photography to explore our curiosity regarding animal life and the natural world around us. It is this curiosity that drives me as an art-maker, has driven countless artists for over a hundred years, and continues to drive emerging artists today.

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Muybridge’s Horse is authored by photography artist Emma Kisiel. The site began as a blog in 2009 and launched as a searchable, image-based artist index in 2013. MH showcases established and emerging artists in photography and other media, and serves as a comprehensive catalog of animal/nature-concerned artists’ work.

Emma studied at the Maryland Institute College of Art before completing her bachelor of fine arts with an emphasis in photography at the University of Colorado Denver in 2011. She lives in Portland, OR with her husband, dog, and cats.

To contact Emma, email muybridgeshorse@gmail.com.

The Muybridge’s Horse website is developed by Daniel Quay.

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