Eadweard Muybridge

Eadweard Muybridge was a preeminent 19th century American photographer, best known for his kinetic pictures (pre-movies) of galloping horses and athletic men.

I always thought that he must have had weird parents, because they named him what they did. Then I learned that they named him Edward Muggeridge, and he changed his own name. So, I thought he must be weird.

Or at least not ordinary. This was confirmed when I learned that, after he immigrated to America from England and married, he shot and killed his wife's lover, was arrested and tried, but acquitted on the basis of a justifiable homicide.

But he apparently decided it was time to get out of town, and so he worked out an arrangement with the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, in 1875, to take a trip to Central America, and take some pictures.

What pictures they are. And, although I have never been to Central America, how must it have changed.

For anyone interested in 19th century photos of fairly remote places, go see the exhibit at the American Art Museum. It will be there through the end of April.

(And, if you have a few minutes, you can also stop by the Decatur House and see about 20 large black and white pictures of Washington DC taken by photographer Volkmar Wentzel. They are beautiful pictures, although I think they are more art, than travelogue. Night scenes and snow scenes predominate, with a few portraits and more intimate settings.