New York from 405 East 54th Street

1936/1937

Alfred Stieglitz

Associated Names
Alfred Stieglitz

Artist, American, 1864 - 1946

The image shows a city skyline at dusk or dawn with the Chrysler Building in the center. Various skyscrapers line the horizon, creating a jagged silhouette against the sky. The style suggests a black-and-white photograph with smooth gradations and distinct contrasts. Some windows are illuminated, adding depth to the cityscape. The sky is overcast grey, highlighting the architectural outlines. The color palette is monochromatic, with shades of grey and black, giving the scene a moody and timeless quality.

Media Options

This object’s media is not available for download. Contact us about image usage.
Not on view See artworks now on view

Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Alfred Stieglitz Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet (trimmed to image): 11.9 x 9.1 cm (4 11/16 x 3 9/16 in.)
    mount: 35 x 27.4 cm (13 3/4 x 10 13/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1949.3.1224

  • Stieglitz Estate Number

    131E

    Part of Stieglitz Key Set Online Edition

    Learn more

  • Key Set Number

    1617

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

Curious for more Alfred Stieglitz scholarship?

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.

Learn about the Key Set

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. 1617.

Inscriptions

by Georgia O'Keeffe, on mount, lower left verso, in graphite: 131E

Wikidata ID

Q64036744

Scholarly Remarks and Key Set Data

Remarks

This photograph and Key Set number 1618 were taken from the penthouse at 405 East 54th Street looking southwest toward the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings. The photographs were made between October 1936 and June 1937, when Stieglitz left for Lake George. He did not return to the penthouse until December 1937, at which point he had stopped making photographs. The titles of these two prints are based on those of similar works included in Stieglitz’s 1934 exhibition at An American Place.

Other Collections

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

Private collection

You may be interested in

Loading Results