Athlete Throwing Lance

Athlete Throwing Lance (1881) is one of Eadweard Muybridge’s series of photographs that show a more limited range of movement. The man depicts the action of propelling a lance into the air, imitating the javelin throw that dates back to the Ancient Olympic Games. The sport underwent a revival in Europe in the 1870s, making this short one of its earliest depictions following that resurgence. It is evident that Muybridge used photography with multiple purposes in mind: the study of locomotion, documentation of the Olympic movement’s rise, and celebration of the strength and beauty of the human body. Though this work falls short in several respects when compared with its contemporaries, it still provides insight into Muybridge’s vision.