Equivalent

1925

Alfred Stieglitz

Associated Names
Alfred Stieglitz

Artist, American, 1864 - 1946

The image shows a view upwards towards the sky, capturing a display of clouds. There is no visible horizon, as the composition solely focuses on the cloud formations. The style is photographic with a contrast between light and shadow. The clouds range from soft and wispy to dense and heavily textured, with some areas having smooth transitions and others with sharply defined edges. The color palette is monochromatic, using greys, blacks, and whites to enhance the dramatic effect. Shadows and highlights create dimension and depth across the cloud structures.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Alfred Stieglitz Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet (trimmed to image): 11.8 x 9.2 cm (4 5/8 x 3 5/8 in.)
    mount: 34.1 x 27.3 cm (13 7/16 x 10 3/4 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1949.3.938

  • Stieglitz Estate Number

    170E

    Part of Stieglitz Key Set Online Edition

    Learn more

  • Key Set Number

    1120

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. 1120.

Inscriptions

by Alfred Stieglitz, on mount, upper left verso, in graphite: Georgia's Pick A+1 / 1925; center verso: Best; center right verso: A+1; lower left verso: A1
by Georgia O'Keeffe, on mount, upper left verso, in graphite: 170E

Wikidata ID

Q64036102

Scholarly Remarks and Key Set Data

Remarks

Another print made from the same negative in the “Waste Basket Collection” at Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, New Haven (YCAL MSS 85, box 121, frame 40), is inscribed: 1925 / 1928 / Equivalent.

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:

The Art Institute of Chicago, 1949.804

George Eastman Museum, Rochester, 74:0052:0006 (inscribed: Top / Equivalent—1925 / Alfred Stieglitz / 1925)

Library of Congress, Washington, PH-62 A (inscribed: 1926? [5 written over 6])

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 28.128.7 (inscribed: Equivalent—1925 / Alfred Stieglitz / 1925)

The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 92.1943.5 (inscribed: An Equivalent in a Series of 7 Equivalents A, B, C, D, E, F, G—[1921–1938] / This is E)

National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Ph-163

Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1949-18-93 (inscribed: A1)

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 52.1835 (inscribed: P1927 / N1925)

Other Collections

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

Charles and Alexandra van Horne (inscribed: "Equivalents" – / "The Room" – D.N. – / 1929)

The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 87.XM.131

Saint Louis Art Museum, 175:1984

Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, 2016.101.252

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