Songs of the Sky

1923

Alfred Stieglitz

Associated Names
Alfred Stieglitz

Artist, American, 1864 - 1946

The image displays a sky filled with dark, moody clouds. There is no visible horizon. The focus is on the intricate details of the varying shades of gray and black clouds. The image has a monochromatic color palette with contrasting lighter edges and deeper shadows. Some clouds have a silver lining effect from the light, while others are in deeper shadow.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Alfred Stieglitz Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet (trimmed to image): 9 x 11.8 cm (3 9/16 x 4 5/8 in.)
    mount: 34.2 x 27.5 cm (13 7/16 x 10 13/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1949.3.891

  • Stieglitz Estate Number

    141B

    Part of Stieglitz Key Set Online Edition

    Learn more

  • Key Set Number

    948

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. 948.

Inscriptions

by Georgia O'Keeffe, on mount, upper left verso, in graphite: 141B

Wikidata ID

Q64035989

Scholarly Remarks and Key Set Data

Remarks

The dates for this photograph and Key Set number 949 are based on the mounting materials and type of paper used, which are similar to those of other prints dated 1923.

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