Although Muybridge has taken many pictures of nature and historical events, he is remembered as an inventor photographer. In the film “Exposing Muybridge” we hear that the creator managed to do something that no one had done before – to photograph the movement. It is about a series of his most famous photos showing a man galloping on a horse.
Muybridge has devoted his whole life to his passion. He made a breakthrough and initiated cinematography
The photographer, using the latest technology at the time – 12 cameras with freshly launched snapshots – dispelled the doubts of many painters and horse racing fans. Thanks to a project commissioned by Baron Leland Stanford, Muybridge proved that there is a moment during a horse’s gallop when the animal’s hooves do not touch the ground. The successful experiment started a collaboration aimed at capturing movement in photographs. Muybridge’s achievements were so groundbreaking and had such a huge impact on the development of cinematography that he soon gained international fame and recognition. Gary Oldman, the protagonist of the film “Exposing Muybridge” and a collector of the artist’s photos, compares his achievements to the discovery of penicillin or the splitting of the atom.
Unfortunately, the omission did not please Stanford, which funded the research. The Baron published a book in which he took most of the credit for the experiment and insinuated Muybridge with lies. Soon, interest in the artist’s photographs and inventions began to decline, as the public’s attention was drawn to a new form of entertainment – cinema.
He took some of the world’s most famous photos, killed his wife’s lover and died alone
After the photographer’s death, his work continued to influence other artists. His witty studies of the characters and movement of animals and humans have inspired many artists and filmmakers. References to the art created by Muybridge can be seen even in contemporary productions. The sequence of images with a man on a horse appears in, among others, the animation “Rick and Morty”, also the iconic scene from “The Matrix” when Neo dodges bullets refers to Muybridge. The artist, creating the first “moving pictures”, began to set cameras around the photographed object – we see the identical work of the camera in the film of the Wachowski sisters.
Although Muybridge is today considered a brilliant, timeless artist, his dedication to his passion has had an impact on his private life. The photographer was considered an eccentric, but in his mature age he managed to find love. After a year of marriage to a much younger Flora, the artist left for a few months to work on more pictures in the field. The photographer’s wife found comfort in the arms of Major Harry Larkyns. Upon returning home, Muybridge guessed that Flora was having an affair. He decided that Larkyns was a threat to his family and he had to deal with it. Without hesitation, he drove to the house of his wife’s lover and shot him squarely in the chest. The man died on the spot. Muybridge’s trial resonated across America. Not only because of the artist’s ruthless act, but above all because of the court’s decision. The photographer was acquitted due to the “honour” aspect of the killing and Muybridge’s insanity resulting from a recent accident.
Muybridge’s story can be explored, among other things, by watching the first feature-length documentary, which vividly tells the story of a well-known eccentric. “Exposure Muybridge” is a production by Mark Shaffer from 2021, which can be seen in cinemas as part of the ongoing 20th Millennium DOCS Against Gravity Film Festival. The next screenings of the film will take place on May 17 at 18:30 and on May 21 at 11:30 in the Luna cinema in Warsaw.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
