Eadweard Muybridge

“ The rack, sometimes miscalled the "pace," is a method of quadrupedal locomotion in which two lateral feet with nearly synchronous action are placed upon and lifted from the ground alternately with the other laterals, the body of the animal being in the intervals entirely without support. The distance which the propelling feet hurl the animal through the air depends, as with other movements, upon a variety of circumstances; at a high rate of speed the distance will be about one-half the total length of the stride. Upon landing, a hind foot usually precedes its lateral fore. ”

“ If the stride of a trotting horse is divided into two portions, representing the comparative distances traversed by the aggregate of the body while the feet are in contact with, and while they are entirely clear of, the ground, the relative measurements will be found to vary very greatly, they being contingent upon length of limb, weight, speed, and other circumstances.
Heavily built horses will sometimes merely drag the feet just above the surface, but, in every instance of a trot, the weight of the body is really unsupported twice during each stride. ”

“ A STRIDE is an act of progressive animal motion, which, for its completion, requires all of the supporting members of the body, in the exercise of their proper functions, to be consecutively and regularly thrust in the direction of the movement until they hold the same relative positions in respect to each other as they did at the commencement of the notation. In the bipedal walk or run a step is one-half of a stride or full round movement. ”

“ Assuming that during a stride of the canter a horse springs into the air from a left fore foot, the right hind foot will first reach the ground; the two fore legs will at this time be flexed under the body, the right being the first landed, and for a brief period of time the support will devolve upon the laterals. The right fore foot is rapidly followed by the left hind. During a very slow canter the other fore foot will sometimes be landed in advance of the lifting of its diagonal, and the curious phase presented of all of the feet being in contact with the ground at the same instant. ”

“ It is impossible within its limits to trace the history of the art of delineating animals in motion, or to illustrate it with examples of the truthful impressions of the primitive Artists, or of the imaginative and erroneous conceptions of many of those of modern times. ”

“ The ingenious gentlemen who are persistently endeavoring to overcome the obstacles in the construction of an apparatus for aerial navigation, will perhaps some day be awakened by the fact that the only successful method of propulsion will be found in the action of the wing of an insect. ”

“ These successive foot fallings are common to all dogs when galloping, and it is worthy of note that the same rotary action in the use of the limbs is adopted in the gallop of the elk, the deer and the antelope, all of which animals, like the dog, can for a time excel the horse in speed. ”

“ It should not be understood that the term "spring" implies that the body of the horse is greatly elevated by that action; were it so, much force would be unnecessarily expended with the result of loss of speed. The center of gravity of a horse trotting or galloping at a high rate of speed will preserve an almost strictly horizontal line, the undulations being very slight. ”

“ The gait resembles the gallop in respect to its leaving the horse entirely unsupported for a varying period of time, and in the fact that the spring into the air is always effected from a fore foot, and the landing upon the diagonal hind foot ”

“ Upon the completion of an electric circuit the armature is drawn towards the magnet; the end of the lever is released from its contact with the shoulder; the ring C is released from the projecting point D; the front of the endless curtain is drawn rapidly downward; the apertures meet in the center of the lens, form a gradually expanding and then contracting diaphragm, and the exposure is made. A front view of three electro-photographic exposors is seen in Figure 3. ”

“ It is impossible within the limits of this appendix to record the names of the many well-known Dilettanti, Art Connoisseurs, Manufacturers, etc., who have acquired copies of Animal Locomotion, and it is difficult, without unjust discrimination, to select a few from among the many Eminent Men whose names and works are known all over the world and who are subscribers. ”

“ For the value of the present work to the general student of Nature and the lover of Art, no less than to the Artist and the Archæologist, the Physiologist and the Anatomist, it is with much pride and gratitude that he refers to the annexed list of some of his subscribers. ”

“ Some horses galloping at full speed will, for a short distance, cover about fifty-six or fifty-eight feet of ground in a second of time; a full mile averaging perhaps a hundred seconds. At this speed, a foot recovering its loss of motion will be thrust forward with an occasional velocity of at least 120 lineal feet in a second of time. ”

“ The employment of automatic apparatus for the purpose of obtaining a regulated succession of photographic exposures is too recent for it to be generally used for scientific experiment or for its advantages to be properly appreciated. At some future time the philosopher will find it indispensable for many of his investigations. ”

“ When the number of phases is greater than the number of perforations, the phases succeed each other in a direction contrary to that of the motion, and the disc is revolved in the direction of the motion. ”

“ It is also probable that these photographic investigations—which were executed with wet collodion plates, with exposures not exceeding in some instances the one five-thousandth part of a second—will dispel many popular illusions as to the gaits of a horse, and future and more exhaustive experiments, with the advantages of recent chemical discoveries, will completely unveil all the visible muscular action of men and animals even during their most rapid movements.... ”

“ TO DESIGN IN ART.
Origin of the Author's Investigations—Diagram of the Studio at the University of Pennsylvania where the Investigation was conducted—Batteries of Cameras, Electro-exposers, Contact-motor, Chronograph, and other apparatus used for photographing consecutive phases of animal movements—Method of obtaining successive exposures of moving objects synchronously from several different points of view—Normal Locomotion of Animals—Twelve consecutive phases of a single step of the Horse while walking ”

“ No attempt will be made to analyze the consecutive phases of various other acts of Animal Locomotion, such as rearing, bucking, kicking, tossing, etc., on account of the irregularity which characterizes their execution, and the difficulty of obtaining reliable data. ”

“ Assuming the operator to have exercised good judgment in regulating the speed of the apparatus, and in making the first electric contact at the proper time, and that the figures 1 to 12 represent the distance traversed by the model in executing the movement desired, the first three photographic exposures—that is, one exposure in each battery—will have been synchronously made when the model was passing the position marked "1" on the track T ”

“ Marcus Aurelius in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, New York, Boston, and many other cities—Albert Durer, Verrocchio, Meissonier, Paul Delaroche, Landseer, Rosa Bonheur, Elizabeth Thompson Butler, &c.—Other Quadrupedal movements, the Amble, Rack, Trot and Canter—Twelve phases in the Gallop of a Horse—Origin of the modern representation of the Gallop—Gallop as depicted by the Hittites, North American Indians, Egyptians, Assyrians, Greeks, the mediæval artists—The modern conventional gallop ”

“ In the diagram, B is the Lateral background; consisting of a shed 37 metres or about 120 feet, long, the front of which is open, and divided by vertical and horizontal threads into spaces 5 centimetres, or about 2 inches, square, and by broader threads into larger spaces 50 centimetres, or about 193⁄4 inches, square.
At C and C, 37 metres, or about 120 feet, apart are "fixed" backgrounds, with vertical threads 5 centimetres, or about two inches, from their centres, with broader threads 30 centimetres, or about 12 inches, from their centres. ”

“ L. A lateral battery of 24 automatic electro-photographic cameras, arranged parallel with the line of progressive motion, and usually placed therefrom about 15 metres or 49 feet.
Slow movements are usually photographed with lenses of 3 inches diameter and 15 inches equivalent focus; the centres of the lenses being 15 centimetres, or about 6 inches, apart.
Rapid movements are usually photographed with a portable battery of cameras and smaller lenses. ”

“ T T. The track parallel with the lateral battery and covered with corrugated rubber flooring.
M. The model, approaching the point number "1" on the track where the series of photographic illustrations will commence.
An estimate having been made of the interval of time which will be required, between each photographic exposure, to illustrate the complete movement, or that portion of the complete movement desired, the apparatus is adjusted to complete a succession of electric circuits at each required interval of time, and the motor is set in operation. ”

“ Muybridge illustrated his lecture with a series of most valuable photographs, as well as that most fascinating of scientific toys—the Zoopraxiscope."—Magazine of Art, London.
"His labors attracted considerable attention in the world of science, while among artists and art critics a pretty controversy set in on the subject of the horse and his representation in art, which is likely to be revived and extended to other fields.... With Mr. Muybridge, 'Instantaneous Photography' has acquired a new significance, ..."—Saturday Review, London.
25. Monkeys Climbing a Cocoa Palm. ”

“ In 1882 the Author visited Europe and at a reception given him by Monsieur Meissonier was invited by that great painter to exhibit the results of his labors to his brother Artists who had assembled in his studios for that purpose. ”

“ Muybridge, and witnessing an exhibition that should be placed before the whole Parisian public."—Le Globe, Paris.
32. Pigeons Flying.
"The art critic and the connoisseur will find a study of Mr. Muybridge's work of inestimable value in aiding them to criticize intelligently."—Pennsylvanian, Philadelphia.
"The applause which greeted these wonderful pictures from the brilliant company was hearty in the extreme; and all predicted a new era was open to art, and new resources made available for the use of artists."—Galignani's Messenger, Paris. ”

“ Athlete, Standing Long Jump.
"These demonstrations are marvellously complete, ... exceedingly abundant and rich in suggestion and instruction, and appeal to almost every class or condition of humanity."—Saturday Review, London.
"Mr. Muybridge delighted his audience with his wonderful photographs."—The Times, London.
"... Last night Mr. Muybridge gave his final lecture in Newcastle on 'The Science of Animal Locomotion,' with the whole of the wonderful illustrations; the Art Gallery being again crowded to excess."—Newcastle Chronicle.
11. Athletes. Base Ball; Batting. ”