This description reveals Stieglitz’s abiding interest in the
formal elements of the photograph—an insistently mod-
ernist focus. The finished print fulfilled Stieglitz’s vision so
well that it shaped his future photographic work, and its
haunting mixture of found patterns and human activity has
continued to stir viewers’ emotions to this day.
EDWARD WESTON Stieglitz’s concern for positioning
photography as an art form with the same fine-art status as
painting and sculpture was also the aim ofEdward Weston
(1886–1958). In addition to making “straight” photographs,
like those of Stieglitz, Weston experimented with photo-
graphs that moved toward greater abstraction, paralleling
developments in other media.Nude (FIG. 35-40) is an ex-
ample of the latter photographic style. The image’s simplic-
ity and the selection of a small segment of the human body
as the subject result in a lyrical photograph of dark and light
areas that at first glance suggests a landscape. Further in-
spection reveals the fluid curves and underlying skeletal ar-
mature of the human form. This photograph, in its reduc-
tiveness, formally expresses a study of the body that verges
on the abstract.America, 1900 to 1930 93935-39Alfred Stieglitz,The Steerage,1907 (print 1915).
Photogravure (on tissue), 1^3 – 8 10 –^18 . Amon Carter Museum,
Fort Worth.
Stieglitz waged a lifelong campaign to win a place for
photography among the fine arts. This 1907 image is a
haunting mixture of found patterns of forms and human
activity. It stirs deep emotions.35-40Edward Weston,
Nude,1925. Platinum print,
721 – 9 –^12 . Center for Creative
Photography, University of
Arizona, Tucson.
Weston experimented with
photographs that moved to-
ward abstraction. By selecting
only a segment of a nude body
as his subject, the artist con-
verted the human form to a
landscape.1 in.
1 in.
35-40AWESTON,
Pepper No. 30,
1930.