Songs of the Sky Q5

1923

Alfred Stieglitz

Associated Names
Alfred Stieglitz

Artist, American, 1864 - 1946

The image shows dark, heavy clouds with a lighter area where the clouds appear thinner occupying most of the sky. The horizon is not visible. The texture of the clouds is soft and smooth, with dark and light regions creating contrast. The color palette consists of various shades of black and gray. Light and shadow within the clouds create a dynamic composition.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Alfred Stieglitz Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet (trimmed to image): 9.3 x 11.9 cm (3 11/16 x 4 11/16 in.)
    mount: 34.2 x 27.6 cm (13 7/16 x 10 7/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1949.3.842

  • Stieglitz Estate Number

    231B

    Part of Stieglitz Key Set Online Edition

    Learn more

  • Key Set Number

    919

The image shows a man leaning his head on his hand, positioned with his face resting on his left hand. He has a mustache, thin-framed eyeglasses, and thick, greying hair that curls slightly at the edges. He is dressed in a formal jacket, a white shirt, and a black bow tie. The background is a soft, dark blur.

Alfred Stieglitz

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Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Georgia O'Keeffe; gift to NGA, 1949.

Associated Names

Bibliography

2002

  • Greenough, Sarah. Alfred Stieglitz: The Key Set: The Alfred Stieglitz Collection of Photographs. Washington, 2002: vol. 2, cat. 919.

Inscriptions

by Alfred Stieglitz, on mount, upper left verso, in graphite: Q5 [5 in subscript]
by Georgia O'Keeffe, on mount, upper left verso, in graphite: 231B
by later hand, on mount, lower right verso, in graphite: D

Wikidata ID

Q64035877

Scholarly Remarks and Key Set Data

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:

George Eastman Museum, Rochester, 74:0052:0030

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