🎨American Art – 1865 to 1968 Unit 5 – Stieglitz: Pioneer of American Photography

Who Was Alfred Stieglitz?

• American photographer, gallerist, and art promoter who played a pivotal role in the development of photography as a fine art in the early 20th century
• Born in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1864 to a wealthy German-Jewish family
• Studied photochemistry in Berlin from 1882 to 1890, where he was exposed to the latest advances in photography and art
• Returned to New York in 1890 and began his career as a photographer, focusing on capturing the rapidly changing urban landscape
• Founded the Photo-Secession movement in 1902, which aimed to promote photography as a fine art equal to painting and sculpture
• Opened the Little Galleries of the Photo-Secession, later known as 291, in 1905, which became a hub for modern art in America
• Married artist Georgia O'Keeffe in 1924, who became a frequent subject of his photographs

Stieglitz's Early Life and Career

• Born into a wealthy German-Jewish family in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1864
• Father, Edward Stieglitz, was a wool merchant who appreciated the arts and encouraged his son's creative pursuits
• Attended the Realgymnasium in Karlsruhe, Germany from 1881 to 1882, where he studied mathematics and science
• Enrolled in the Technische Hochschule in Berlin to study photochemistry from 1882 to 1890
  • Studied under Hermann Wilhelm Vogel, a pioneering photographer and scientist
  • Learned the latest techniques in photography, including the use of gelatin dry plates and hand-held cameras
• Began experimenting with photography as a student in Berlin, capturing images of the city and its inhabitants
• Returned to New York in 1890 and established himself as a professional photographer
  • Opened a portrait studio on Fifth Avenue, catering to wealthy clients
  • Began photographing the rapidly changing urban landscape of New York City, capturing the construction of skyscrapers and the growth of the city

The Photo-Secession Movement

• Founded by Stieglitz in 1902 to promote photography as a fine art equal to painting and sculpture
• Name derived from the secession movements in Europe, which sought to break away from traditional artistic styles and institutions
• Comprised of a group of photographers who shared Stieglitz's vision for elevating the status of photography as an art form
  • Members included Edward Steichen, Gertrude Käsebier, Clarence H. White, and Alvin Langdon Coburn
• Held exhibitions and published a quarterly journal, Camera Work, to showcase the work of its members and promote photography as a fine art
• Emphasized the importance of artistic expression and individuality in photography, rather than mere technical proficiency
• Rejected the prevailing pictorialist style of photography, which sought to imitate the look of paintings through soft focus and hand manipulation of negatives and prints
• Embraced a more straightforward, sharply focused aesthetic that emphasized the unique qualities of the photographic medium
• Dissolved in 1917 due to internal conflicts and the impact of World War I, but its influence on the development of photography as a fine art continued

291 Gallery and Camera Work

• Stieglitz opened the Little Galleries of the Photo-Secession, later known as 291, at 291 Fifth Avenue in New York City in 1905
  • Named after its address, the gallery became a hub for modern art in America
  • Exhibited the work of both American and European artists, including Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Auguste Rodin
• 291 served as a platform for Stieglitz to promote his vision of photography as a fine art and to introduce the American public to the latest developments in modern art
• Stieglitz published Camera Work, a quarterly journal, from 1903 to 1917 to showcase the work of Photo-Secession members and other artists
  • Journal featured high-quality photogravures of photographs, as well as essays and criticism on photography and art
  • Considered one of the most important publications in the history of photography, with a total of 50 issues produced
• 291 and Camera Work played a crucial role in shaping the course of modern art in America and establishing photography as a legitimate art form
• Gallery closed in 1917 due to financial difficulties and Stieglitz's shifting interests, but its impact on the art world continued to be felt for decades

Stieglitz's Artistic Style and Techniques

• Stieglitz's photographic style evolved throughout his career, but he consistently emphasized the importance of artistic expression and the unique qualities of the photographic medium
• Early work influenced by the pictorialist style, which sought to imitate the look of paintings through soft focus and hand manipulation of negatives and prints
  • Examples include "The Terminal" (1893) and "Winter, Fifth Avenue" (1893)
• Later embraced a more straightforward, sharply focused aesthetic that emphasized the inherent characteristics of photography
  • Photographs from this period, such as "The Steerage" (1907) and "The Hand of Man" (1902), are considered masterpieces of early modernist photography
• Experimented with various techniques, including the use of a hand-held camera, which allowed him to capture candid moments and spontaneous compositions
• Pioneered the use of gelatin silver prints, which offered greater tonal range and detail than earlier printing processes
• Frequently photographed the urban landscape of New York City, capturing the energy and dynamism of the modern metropolis
• Portraits, particularly of artists and intellectuals, were another important aspect of his work
  • Photographs of Georgia O'Keeffe, his wife and frequent subject, are among his most famous and intimate portraits

Key Photographs and Series

• "The Terminal" (1893): An early pictorialist photograph depicting a horse-drawn carriage at a railway terminal in New York City
• "Winter, Fifth Avenue" (1893): Another pictorialist work capturing a snowy scene on Fifth Avenue in New York City
• "The Hand of Man" (1902): A photograph of a locomotive, emphasizing the power and beauty of modern technology
• "The Steerage" (1907): Considered one of Stieglitz's most important works, this photograph depicts passengers on the steerage deck of a ship, capturing the social divide between the upper and lower classes
• "The Flatiron" (1903): A photograph of the Flatiron Building in New York City, showcasing Stieglitz's interest in the urban landscape and modern architecture
• Georgia O'Keeffe portraits (1917-1937): A series of intimate portraits of the artist Georgia O'Keeffe, whom Stieglitz married in 1924
  • Photographs explore the relationship between artist and subject, as well as the interplay between form and abstraction
• "Equivalents" (1923-1934): A series of photographs of clouds and sky, which Stieglitz saw as a way to express abstract emotions and ideas through the language of photography

Stieglitz's Impact on American Modernism

• Stieglitz played a crucial role in introducing modern European art to American audiences through his exhibitions at 291 and his publications, such as Camera Work
  • Exhibited the work of avant-garde artists like Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Auguste Rodin, exposing Americans to new artistic styles and ideas
• Helped to establish photography as a legitimate art form, on par with painting and sculpture
  • Through the Photo-Secession movement and his own work, Stieglitz advocated for the recognition of photography as a means of artistic expression
• Influenced a generation of American photographers, including Paul Strand, Edward Weston, and Ansel Adams, who built upon his ideas and techniques
• Stieglitz's galleries, 291 and An American Place, served as important venues for the exhibition and promotion of modern American art
  • Supported and exhibited the work of artists such as Georgia O'Keeffe, Arthur Dove, and Marsden Hartley, helping to shape the course of American modernism
• Through his writings and criticism, Stieglitz helped to articulate the goals and principles of modernist art, emphasizing the importance of individual expression and the need to break free from traditional artistic conventions

Legacy and Influence on Photography

• Stieglitz's tireless promotion of photography as a fine art helped to elevate its status and pave the way for future generations of photographers
• His emphasis on the unique qualities of the photographic medium, such as its ability to capture fleeting moments and its capacity for abstract expression, continues to influence photographers today
• The Photo-Secession movement, which Stieglitz founded, set the stage for the development of modernist photography in the United States
  • Ideas and techniques explored by the group, such as the use of sharp focus and the embrace of the inherent characteristics of the medium, became central tenets of modernist photography
• Stieglitz's own photographs, particularly his later works like "The Steerage" and the "Equivalents" series, are considered masterpieces of early modernist photography and continue to inspire and influence contemporary photographers
• The galleries he established, 291 and An American Place, served as important models for the exhibition and promotion of photography as a fine art
  • Helped to create a market for fine art photography and establish the idea of the photographer as an artist
• Stieglitz's legacy extends beyond photography, as he played a significant role in shaping the course of American modernism through his support and promotion of avant-garde artists
• Today, Stieglitz is remembered as one of the most important figures in the history of photography and a key contributor to the development of modernism in the United States