Songs of the Sky or Equivalent

1923/1927

Alfred Stieglitz

Associated Names
Alfred Stieglitz

Artist, American, 1864 - 1946

The image shows an upward view of the sky with swirling clouds partially covering the sun. The clouds create intricate patterns and a sense of depth and movement. The sun is faintly visible behind the clouds in the upper right quadrant, forming a bright circular halo. There is no defined horizon, and the composition focuses on the interplay of light and shadow. The color palette is monochromatic, with deep blacks, grays, and white highlights creating a contrast. The image lacks visible brushstroke technique and seems to be a photograph emphasizing the texture and formation of the clouds around the sun.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Alfred Stieglitz Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet (trimmed to image): 11.8 x 9.3 cm (4 5/8 x 3 11/16 in.)
    mount: 34.3 x 27.6 cm (13 1/2 x 10 7/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1949.3.1181

  • Stieglitz Estate Number

    143E

    Part of Stieglitz Key Set Online Edition

    Learn more

  • Key Set Number

    962

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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Discover over 1,000 artworks that the artist’s wife Georgia O’Keeffe termed his “Key Set” of prize photographs. Museum scholars have illuminated each work, his career, practices, and lifetime achievements.

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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. 962.

Inscriptions

by Georgia O'Keeffe, on mount, upper left verso, in graphite: 143E
by later hand, on mount, lower right verso, in graphite: D

Wikidata ID

Q64036652

Scholarly Remarks and Key Set Data

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