Bly and Venus, 1920

Key Set Entry

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Remarks

Stieglitz probably made this photograph of Bly, a gardener at Lake George, during the move from Oaklawn, a big house on the shore of the lake, to a smaller farmhouse on the property (see Key Set number 623).

Stieglitz Collections

A corresponding print was given to the following institution(s) by Alfred Stieglitz during his lifetime, or was received or acquired from the estate:

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven, YCAL MSS 85, box 122, folder 2455

Fisk University, Nashville, and Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, ASC.2012.87

Other Collections

A print corresponding with this photograph can also be found in the following collection(s):

Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1968-162-30 (inscribed on postcard to Carl Zigrosser stamped 12 September 1921: When Greek meets Greek / they send out an / Anonymous Letter / of Protest / Venus is on / the Job making converts.— / Long live the / Art-Makers. / Greetings, S.)

Private collection

Location unknown (inscribed on postcard to Katharine Rhoades: Weighed 2 1/2 lbs when he was born. And merely came into the world to have this picture taken—Is over 70—doesn’t feel a day over 17—knows he’ll get to be more than 100—will shoot to kill any one trying to rob him of a moment’s freedom . . .)

Lifetime Exhibitions

A print from the same negative—perhaps a photograph from the Gallery’s collection—appeared in the following exhibition(s) during Alfred Stieglitz’s lifetime:

1923, New York (no. 116, as Bly, 1920)

Inscription

by later hand, on mount, upper left verso, in graphite: 206 B

Provenance

Georgia O'Keeffe; gift to NGA, 1949.

Exhibition History

2002

Alfred Stieglitz: Known and Unknown, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, June 2–September 2, 2002; The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, October 6, 2002–January 5, 2003

Bibliography

1947

Sweeney, James J. "Rebel with a Camera." New York Times (8 June 1947).

2002

Greenough, Sarah. Alfred Stieglitz: The Key Set: The Alfred Stieglitz Collection of Photographs. Washington, 2002: vol. 1, cat. 624.

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