Songs of the Sky D3

1923

Alfred Stieglitz

Associated Names
Alfred Stieglitz

Artist, American, 1864 - 1946

The image depicts a nighttime scene with a view of the sky from below. The focus is on the celestial expanse, with no visible horizon. A bright, circular moon is central to the image, partially obscured by dark clouds. The clouds are depicted with swirling brushstrokes, creating a dynamic effect. The color palette consists of shades of black and gray, with the moon's glow illuminating the surrounding area. The sky beyond the clouds is dark, enhancing the moon's brightness.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Alfred Stieglitz Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet (trimmed to image): 11.7 x 9.1 cm (4 5/8 x 3 9/16 in.)
    mount: 34.3 x 17.6 cm (13 1/2 x 6 15/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1949.3.871

  • Stieglitz Estate Number

    160D

    Part of Stieglitz Key Set Online Edition

    Learn more

  • Key Set Number

    907

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

1958

  • Photographs by Alfred Stieglitz, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, March 16–April 27, 1958

Bibliography

2002

  • Greenough, Sarah. Alfred Stieglitz: The Key Set: The Alfred Stieglitz Collection of Photographs. Washington, 2002: vol. 2, cat. 907.

Inscriptions

by Alfred Stieglitz, on mount, upper left verso, in graphite: Top; center left verso, crossed out: 6 / C3 [3 in subscript] / D3 [3 in subscript]; lower left: D3 [3 in subscript] / 3
by Georgia O'Keeffe, on mount, upper left verso, in graphite: 160D
by later hand, on mount, lower right verso, in graphite: 0.35

Wikidata ID

Q64035940

Scholarly Remarks and Key Set Data

Remarks

For information about the date of this photograph, see Key Set number 905.

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:

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, 24.1733.3 (oriented 180° and inscribed: Song of the Sky / (in five pictures) / no. 3 / Photograph by / Alfred Stieglitz / New York / N.Y. / negative & print / made at Lake George, N.Y. / by Alfred Stieglitz / 1923. / Print 2 from this negative)

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