Songs of the Sky A8

1923

Alfred Stieglitz

Associated Names
Alfred Stieglitz

Artist, American, 1864 - 1946

The image features an upward view of a black and white sky filled with dramatic cloud formations. No horizon is visible. The focus is on the clouds and their interaction with light. The clouds vary in shape and density, creating a dynamic pattern. The style is photographic with high contrast between the bright edges and darker areas where light does not reach. The light source appears to be the sun, positioned near the bottom center, illuminating the clouds and enhancing their outlines. The image is monochromatic, highlighting textures and shapes in the sky.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Alfred Stieglitz Collection

  • Dimensions

    image: 9.3 x 11.9 cm (3 11/16 x 4 11/16 in.)
    sheet: 10.1 x 12.6 cm (4 x 4 15/16 in.)
    mount: 34.2 x 27.6 cm (13 7/16 x 10 7/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1949.3.852

  • Stieglitz Estate Number

    156E

    Part of Stieglitz Key Set Online Edition

    Learn more

  • Key Set Number

    896

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

Exhibition History

2010

  • Alfred Stieglitz: The Lake George Years, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 2010

Bibliography

2002

  • Greenough, Sarah. Alfred Stieglitz: The Key Set: The Alfred Stieglitz Collection of Photographs. Washington, 2002: vol. 2, cat. 896.

2010

  • Annear, Judy, ed. Alfred Stieglitz: The Lake George Years. Exh. cat. Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, 2010.

Inscriptions

by Alfred Stieglitz, on mount, lower left verso, in graphite: A8 [8 in subscript]
by Georgia O'Keeffe, on mount, upper left verso, in graphite: 156-E

Wikidata ID

Q64035896

Scholarly Remarks and Key Set Data

Remarks

For information about the date of this print, see Key Set number 890.

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, 74:0052:0007 (oriented 180°)

The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 28.1950 (inscribed: Songs of the Sky—No. 7 / by Alfred Stieglitz / Keep Clean / Return to Alfred Stieglitz / c/o George F. Of / 274 Madison Ave)

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