Plate Number 385. Farmer, using a pick

Eadweard Muybridge

National Gallery of Art

This is a photograph of a sequential movement study involving the act of using a pickaxe. The image captures a series of frames showing the use of a pickaxe, demonstrated in a sequence that shows the process and motion involved. The top two rows depict a series of black-and-white sequential images, displaying a gradual progression of motion across each frame. The background appears to be indoors, with a dark, textured backdrop. The bottom row also shows a series of sequential frames but appears to be set in an outdoor setting, featuring a white structural background with square openings. The photographs are likely produced as a study of human movement, capturing detailed subtle changes in posture and form.