Woman Picking up Skirt

On first encounter, Woman Picking up Skirt (1887) appears as a simple exercise in filming the act of bending down. Shot from multiple angles, the subject performs a reverse turn and lifts her dress train. However, given that Eadweard Muybridge presents a model whose dress covers most of her body, and most significantly her legs, which are essential to the execution of the movement, it is questionable whether the study of locomotion was at the forefront of his vision for this chronophotographic sequence. His fascination with the female form led to several pieces that celebrate beauty. Here, the dress steals the show, making this short film at most a precursor to a fashion shoot, though the effort to exhibit the garment feels half-hearted.