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Portrait photograph of Muybridge, taken in 1912
Eadweard Muybridge

 

 

Selected items from the Collection:

 

Collection guide

More on Muybridge's connection with Penn

University Archives and Records Center
University of Pennsylvania

Selected Items from the Eadweard Muybridge Collection

 

The Eadweard Muybridge Collection at the University of Pennsylvania Archives contains 702 of the 784 plates in his Animal Locomotion study as well as related correspondence and printed materials. Also included in the collection are Muybridge's zoetrope, plate film holder, gelatine plates for making photogravures, camera #20, and wooden shutter and miscellaneous photographs. Selected items are available for study on-line, including printed materials, correspondence, photographic equipment and photographic plates.

Printed materials include:

Prospectus and Catalogue of Plates
Animal Locomotion: an Electro-Photographic Investigation of Connective Phases of Animal Movements
by Eadweard Muybridge
Published by J.B. Lippincott Co., Philadelphia (1887).

A total of 781 plates were created of his Animal Locomotion publication. This prospectus, available here as a PDF file (53 pages), provides detailed information about the photographic process, equipment and staff. The catalog carefully records data about each photograph, including the subject, model, costume, type of movement, camera angles and time intervals.

Cover of Prospectus and Catalogue of Plates

Announcement and Subscription Order Form
Animal Locomotion: an Electro-Photographic Investigation of Connective Phases of Animal Movements

by Eadweard Muybridge
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (June 1887).

This announcement, available here as a PDF file (5 pages), describes how subscribers can order and select 100 plates from the 781 plates created by Muybridge as a part of the Animal Locomotion study. The bulk of this announcement provides a partial list of subscribers, including well-known individuals and institutions from around the United States and even Europe.

First page of announcement and subscription form

Descriptive Zoopraxography or the Science of Animal Locomotion Made Popular by Eadweard Muybridge
By Eadweard Muybridge
Published by the University of Pennsylvania; printed by the Lakeside Press, R.R. Donnelly and Sons, Chicago (1893).

The cover and 110 pages of this book have been scanned and saved as a PDF file (56 pages). Like the above prospectus and catalog, this volume again offers detailed information about the photographic process, equipment and staff involved in the producing the Animal Locomotion plates.

Descriptive Zoopraxography is particularly useful because of Muybridge's discussion of the scientific and artistic knowledge gained from the Animal Locomotion plates and his description of the zoopraxiscope, a motion picture machine which he invented to project animated versions of the Animal Locomotion plates onto a wall.

 

Cover of Eadweard Muybridge's book, Descriptive Zoopraxography, published 1893 by the University of Pennsylvania.  Click to view entire book as a PDF file

Correspondence includes:

All corresponence in Penn's Eadweard Muybridge Collection has been scanned and is available on line. These letters came to Jesse Burk and other University administrators during Muybridge's lifetime. Note that other correspondence regarding Muybridge can be found in the Office of the Recorder Papers also located in the University Archives.

View all of these letters in a PDF. These letters can be searched; typed pages are full-text searchable while those hand-written pages written in English can be searched for names, dates and subjects. Use the PDF search tool to located letters containing specific search terms.

 

Page of manuscript letter from E. Muybridge to Rev. J.Y. Burk, July 1, 1891

Photographic eguipment includes:

The University Archives extends special thanks to Todd Gustavson, Curator of the Technological Department at George Eastman House, and to Rosina Herrera, from the Photograph Conservation Department of the Museum of Modern Art, for their help in identifying these items.

Photograph of Muybridge's race track camera #21, angled view. Click for larger view and more information.Race Track Camera #21

Used by Muybridge in the 1870s. Several of these were placed in a row, each triggered by the breaking of a string. Overall: L: 22", w: 5.75", h: 5.8". Wooden box (7" long, 5.75" square) houses a sliding box (with removable glass plate) mounted on 22" track by means of a brass screw and plate. Every piece of these custom-made cameras would match the corresponding camera.

Plate holder for race track camera #36, partially opened, front and back views. Click for larger views and more information.Plate holder for Race Track Camera #36

2 views, of front and back. Partially opened to show sliding components.

Copy camera, angled view. Click for more views and more information.Copy Camera

Used to make copies of a positive or negative using transmitted light. The positive goes at one end, the negative in the middle (in the lateral aperture), and the lamp at the opposite end. Opening or closing the bellows resulted in enlarged or reduced images. No manufacturer's label.

Rotating Camera Back, front and back views. Click for more views and more informationRotating Camera Back

2 views, of front and back. Probably for lantern slides. It could fit the Copy Camera and could have been used to make lantern slides for Muybridge's lectures on Animal Locomotion.

Lens Board for the Copy Camera, front and back views. Click for more views and more information.Lens Board

2 views, of front and back. For the Copy Camera.

Sliding Carriage Back, front views. Click for more views and more information.Sliding Camera Back

For the Copy Camera. Manufacturer's label: Anthony & Scovill.

Croppping Mask for the Copy Camera, front and back views, showing nested masks. Click for more views and more information.Cropping Mask

2 views, of front and back. For the Copy Camera. The nesting feature allowed for the placement of any standard size plate on the plate holder.

Lens board for a 5 x 8 inch view camera. 2 views, of front and backLens Board #12, for a 5 x 8 inch view camera

2 views, of front and back.

Back for a view camera, front, back and angled viewsBack for a View Camera

3 views: front, back and angled. The label "Folmer and Schwing Division" indicates that this item dates from 1907-1917, when Folmer and Schwing was a division of Eastman Kodak.

3 views of dry plate holderDry Plate Holder

3 views of the holder (with sliding insert partially out): both sides, and with the hinged side open, showing nested cropping masks.

Lens Board, with flange, views of front and backLens Board, with flange

2 views, of front and back.

Lenses, C.P. Coerz

  • Goerz lens shown with leather caps. Click for larger views and more information.Lens with leather caps. 2 views. Diameter: 2.75", height: 2.25". Goerz double-anastigmat. Series 3, no. 8, focus 19 in., no. 150968. U.S. patent no. 528155.
  • Lens, no. 9. Click for larger views and more information.Lens holder, no. 9. Metal painted black. Diameter: 3.3", height: 7.0"

Jas. W. Queen Rapid Rectilinear Lens. Click for larger views and more information.Lens, Jas. W. Queen & Co.

Pantograph Rapid Rectilinear, 31" focus, 20x24. 8.5 in. high, 5.2 in. diameter

Lens, made by Carl Zeiss, shown with box and lid. Click for larger views and more information.Lens, Carl Zeiss

Diameter: 4.8", height: 7.5". Label on box: "Carl Zeiss, Optische werksaette, Jena, serie 1C, foc 250"

Lens by unidentified maker, shown with leather caps. Click for larger views and more information.Lens and leather caps, unidentified maker

Diameter: 3.6", height: 3.8"

Lens holder, cylinder and cap. Click for larger view and more information.Lens holder

Two pieces

Contact printing frame, views of top and bottom. Click for larger views and more information.Contact Printing Frame

2 views, front and back of example 1 (10 x 12 in.). Also see example 2 (7 x 9 in.) and example 3 (18.5 x 22.8 in.).

In the 19th century, making prints with an enlarger was difficult and time-consuming. The more common method of making prints was by contact between a negative and sensitized paper. Since the resulting print was the same size as the negative, these glass negatives were larger than the negatives used after the improvement of photo enlargers.

The glass plate negative (either collodion or gelatin dry plate) was placed on the cover glass of the printing frame, emulsion side up. Sensitized paper was placed on top, with its emulsion side down to be in contact with the emulsion. After the negative and the paper were then firmly pressed together, the printing frame was placed in the sun to develop. From time to time the photographer opened the larger of the two hinged doors on the back check on the progress of the exposure; when he was satisfied, he washed out the unexposed silver with a water bath and then "fixed" the print.

Retouching desk, 3 views. Click for larger views and more information.Retouching Desk

3 views. Note that one side piece is missing from this item.
During the 19th century retouching was an important part of the photography process because the existing photographic plate technology could not register anything for the red and yellow ranges of the light spectrum. Since these colors would be white on the negative and thus black on the print, the print would not be a fair representation of the subject, particularly of the shades of human skin tones.

Pencil, graphite, watercolor, paper mask and other materials were applied to the glass plate negative to compensate for the missing reds and oranges. To do this, the glass plate was held in place on the frosted glass panel of the retouching desk. Light from a lamp placed behind the desk was reflected by the mirror to the back of the negative. The cover with two black panels was used to cover the head of the retoucher and to prevent extraneous light coming to the negative.

Panel with frosted glass, views of front and back. Click for larger views and more information.Panel with frosted glass

Glass marked with rectangles and oval. 12.5 x 1.25 x 12.75 in.

Projector lens, 2 angled views, of front and backProjector Lens, mounted

2 views, of front and back. Another mounted lens can also be viewed.

Unmounted lens, probably for a projectorLens, unmounted

Probably used for a projector. Diameter: 2.5", height: 6.1". Label: Bausch & Lomb, Rochester NY.

Plates from Animal Locomotion include:

View animated versions of Plate 156 and Plate 165

HUMAN MOVEMENTS

Plate 3 Image of Plate 3
Movements, Male, Walking
Plate 17 Image of Plate 17
Movements, Female, Walking
Plate 20 Image of Plate 20
Movements, Female, Walking, right elbow bent
Plate 26 Image of Plate 26
Movements, Male, Walking, carrying 75-lb. stone on left shoulder
Plate 34 Image of Plate 34
Movements, Female, Walking, carrying 15-lb. basket on head, hands raised
Plate 45 Image of Plate 045
Movements, Female, Walking, two models meeting, and partly turning
Plate 73 Image of Plate 73
Movements, Female, Turning around in surprise and running away
Plate 74 image of 74
Movements, Male, Ascending incline, angle 1 in 4
Plate 88 Image of Plate 88
Movements, Male, Ascending stairs
Plate 91 Image of Plate 91
Movements, Male, Ascending stairs
Plate 94 Image of Plate 94
Movements, Female, Ascending stairs looking around; basin in hands
Plate 101 Image of Plate 101
Movements, Female, Turning and ascending stairs
Plate 103

Image of Plate 103
Movements: Female, Turning and ascending stairs, pitcher and goblet in hands

Plate 105 Image of Plate 105
Movements, Female, Turning, ascending stairs, water jar on left shoulder
Plate 119 Image of Plate 119
Movements, Female, Descending incline right hand on breast (shoes)
Plate 125 Image of Plate 125
Movements, Male, Descending stairs
Plate 130 Image of Plate 130
Movements, Female, Descending stairs
Plate 131 Image of Plate 131
Movements, Female, Descending stairs waving hand
Plate 133 Image of Plate 133
Movements, Female, Descending stairs throwing handkerchief over shoulders
Plate 134 Image of Plate 134
Movements, Female, Descending stars with basin in hands
Plate 137 Image of Plate 137
Movements, Female, Descending stairs, turning around
Plate 146 Image of Plate 146
Movements, Female, Descending stairs turning water jar on left shoulder
Plate 147 Image of Plate 147
Movements, Female, Descending stairs turning water jar on left shoulder
Plate 156

Image of Plate 156
Movements, Female, Jumping: running straight high jump

View in animation

Plate 162 Image of Plate 162
Movements, Male, Jumping; standing broad jump
Plate 165 Image of Plate 165
Movements, Male, Jumping; pole vaulting

View in animation

Plate 167

Image of Plate 167
Movements, Male, Jumping; over boy's back (leap-frog)
Plate 169 Image of Plate 169
Movements, Male, Jumping; over boy's back (leap-frog)
Plate 215 Image of Plate 215
Movements, Female and Child, Placing child (70) on the ground, child running off
Plate 233 Image of Plate 233
Movements, Female, Lifting shawl, putting around shoulders, turning
Plate 235 Image of Plate 235
Movements, Female, Turning and removing water jar from shoulder to the ground
Plate 247

Image of Plate 247
Movements, Female, Sitting down, placing feet on chair

Plate 248 Image of Plate 248
Movements, Female, Sitting down on the ground
Plate 271 Image of Plate 271
Movements, Female, Arising from the ground with a paper in the left hand
Plate 275 Image of Plate 275
Movements, Male, Base-ball; batting (low ball)
Plate 276 Image of Plate 276
Movements, Male, Base-ball; batting
Plate 288

Image of Plate 288
Movements, Male, Baseball, error

Plate 301 Image of Plate 301
Movements, Male, Foot-ball; punt
Plate 311 Image of Plate 311
Movements, Male, Heaving a 75-lb. rock
Plate 315 Image of Plate 315
Movements, Male, Heaving a 20-lb. rock
Plate 317 Image of Plate 317
Movements, Male, Heaving a 75-lb. rock
Plate 320 Image of Plate 320
Movements, Male, Lifting 50-lb. dumb-bell; B, posing
Plate 327 Image of Plate 327
Movements, Male, Rowing
Plate 333 Image of Plate 333
Movements, Male, Boxing; 53 knocking 52 down (shoes)
Plate 350 Image of Plate 350
Movements, Male, Fencing
Plate 361 Image of Plate 361
Movements, Male, Throwing a spear
Plate 362 Image of Plate 362
Movements, Male, Back somersault
Plate 364Image of Plate 364
Movements, Male, Hand-spring over man's back
Plate 365 Image of Plate 365
Movements, Male, Head-spring, a flying pigeon interfering
Plate 366Image of Plate 366
Movements, Male, Running, hitch and kick
Plate 373

Image of Plate 373
Movements, Male, Acrobat, "press up" from chair

Plate 374 Image of Plate 374
Movements, Male, Blacksmiths, two models, hammering on anvil
Plate 378 Image of Plate 378
Movements, Male, Blacksmith, hammering on anvil, two hands
Plate 399 Image of Plate 399
Movements, Male, Emptying bucket of water
Plate 400 Image of Plate 400
Movements, Male, Emptying bucket of water
Plate 407 Image of Plate 407
Movements, Female, Two models, 8 pouring bucket of water over 1
Plate 416 Image of Plate 416
Movements, Female, Toilet; putting on dress
Plate 467 Image of Plate 467
Movements, Male, Child, walking
Plate 469 Image of Plate 469
Movements, Female, Child, running
Plate 475 Image of Plate 475
Movements, Female, Child getting up on chair
Plate 481 Image of Plate 481
Movements, Female, A, lifting basket; B, running, waving handkerchief
Plate 492 Image of Plate 492
Movements, Male, A, 103, rowing; B 96, rowing
Plate 498 Image of Plate 498
Movements, Female, Miscellaneous phases of toilet
Plate 510 Image of Plate 519
Movements, Male, Contortions on the ground
Plate 519 Image of Plate 519
Movements, Male, A, throwing disk; B, ascending step; C, walking
Plate 532 Image of Plate 532
Movements, Movement of the hand; drawing a circle
Plate 533 Image of Plate 533
Movements, Movement of the hand; clasping hands
Plate 541 Image of Plate 541
Movements, Female, Multiple cerebro-spinal sclerosis (choreic); walking

ANIMAL MOVEMENTS

Plate 566 Image of Plate 566
Animals and Movements, Horses, Hauling; dark-gray Bel. Horse Dusel
Plate 570 Image of Plate 570
Animals and Movements, Horses, Hauling; dark-gray Bel. Horse Dusel, Hansel
Plate 580 Image of Plate 580
Animals and Movements, Horses, Walking; saddle; thoroughbred bay mare, Annie G
Plate 592 Image of Plate 592
Animals and Movements, Horses, Racking (pacing); saddle; brown horse, Pronto
Plate 593 Image of Plate 593
Animals and Movements, Horses, Racking (pacing); saddle; brown horse, Pronto
Plate 601 Image of Plate 601
Animals and Movements, Horses, Trotting; saddle; brown mare, Beauty
Plate 620 Image of Plate 620
Animals and Movements, Horses, Canter; thoroughbred bay mare, Annie G
Plate 621 Image of Plate 621
Animals and Movements, Horses, Canter; thoroughbred bay mare, Annie G
Plate 624 Image of Plate 624
Horses, Gallop; saddle; bay horse, Daisy
Plate 626 Image of Plate 626
Animals and Movements, Horses, Gallop; thoroughbred bay mare, Annie G
Plate 627 Image of Plate 627
Animals and Movements, Horses, Gallop; thoroughbred bay mare, Annie G
Plate 637 Image of Plate 637
Animals and Movements, Horses, Jumping a hurdle; saddle; clearing, landing and recovering; bay horse Daisy
Plate 642 Image of Plate 642
Animals and Movements, Horses, Jumping a hurdle; saddle; rider, 105, nude; gray mare Pandora
Plate 643 Image of Plate 643
Animals and Movements, Horses, Jumping a hurdle; bareback; clearing and landing; knocking over a hurdle; rider 105; gray mare. Pandora
Plate 646 Image of Plate 646
Animals and Movements, Horses, Jumping a hurdle; saddle; rider 105, nude; gray mare, Pandora
Plate 649 Image of Plate 649
Animals and Movements, Horses, Hauling; dark-gray Bel. Horse Dusel
Plate 663 Image of Plate 663
Animals and Movements, Domestic Animals, Mule; A, B, refractory
Plate 674 Image of Plate 674
Animals and Movements, Domestic Animals, Sow; walking
Plate 691 Image of Plate 691
Animals and Movements, Wild Animals and Birds, Fallow deer; doe; galloping; and kid; jumping
Plate 715 Image of Plate 715
Animals and Movements, Domestic Animals, Dogs; Dogs; three, tugging
Plate 717 Image of Plate 717
Animals and Movements, Domestic Animals, Cat; trotting; change to galloping
Plate 719 Image of Plate 719
Animals and Movements, Domestic Animals, Cat; galloping; change to galloping
Plate 733 Image of Plate 733
Animals and Movements, Wild Animals and Birds, Elephant; walking
Plate 755 Image of Plate 755
Animals and Movements, Wild Animals and Birds, Pigeon; flying
Plate 759 Image of Plate 759
Animals and Movements, Wild Animals and Birds, Cockatoo; flying
Plate 762 Image of Plate 762
Animals and Movements, Wild Animals and Birds, Cockatoo; flying
Plate 769 Image of Plate 769
Animals and Movements, Wild Animals and Birds, Bald Eagle, flying
Plate 770 Image of Plate 770
Animals and Movements, Wild Animals and Birds, Bald Eagle, flying near ground
Plate 771 Image of Plate 771
Motion Study Photograph: Wild Animals and Birds, American Eagle; flying near ground
Plate 774 Image of Plate 774
Animals and Movements, Wild Animals and Birds, Adjutant; walking

 

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