From My Window at An American Place, North

1930

Alfred Stieglitz

Associated Names
Alfred Stieglitz

Artist, American, 1864 - 1946

The view is of an urban skyline with various styles of skyscrapers. The vantage point seems to be high, with buildings dominating the image. The horizon is obscured by the buildings, with the sky filling the upper part of the image with a light tone, possibly indicating overcast weather. The architectural styles vary from ornate to modernist designs with clean lines and grid-like window patterns. The image is in black and white, highlighting geometric forms and creating strong contrasts between light and shadow. Details and textures are visible on close buildings, which fade into a harmonious architectural rhythm in the distance against the sky.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Alfred Stieglitz Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet (trimmed to image): 11.7 x 9 cm (4 5/8 x 3 9/16 in.)
    mount: 34.7 x 27.7 cm (13 11/16 x 10 7/8 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1949.3.1198

  • Stieglitz Estate Number

    136A

    Part of Stieglitz Key Set Online Edition

    Learn more

  • Key Set Number

    1320

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. 1320.

Inscriptions

by Georgia O'Keeffe, on mount, lower left verso, in graphite: 136A
by later hands, on mount, upper right verso, in graphite: 0 [crossed out]; lower left verso: B; lower right verso: X

Wikidata ID

Q64036685

Scholarly Remarks and Key Set Data

Remarks

This photograph and Key Set numbers 1321 and 1322 are all dated on the basis of documents recording the construction of several buildings seen under construction in the distance. In Photographic Views of New York City, 1870s–1970s, photograph no. 909.C2, dated 4 March 1930, shows the Hotel Pierre (to the right of the Sherry-Netherland Hotel) in the same stage of completion seen here. Judging from the height of the New York Trust Company Building (under construction in front of the Squibb Building), which was completed in late 1930, Key Set numbers 1321 and 1322 were made in May or June 1930, before Stieglitz left to go to Lake George on 17 June.

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