From My Window at An American Place, Southwest

March 1932

Alfred Stieglitz

Associated Names
Alfred Stieglitz

Artist, American, 1864 - 1946

The image shows an urban scene viewed from a high vantage point between two tall buildings. The horizon is set low, with a hazy and overcast sky in the distance. A partially constructed skyscraper stands out prominently in the center. The buildings close to us have dark facades, providing a strong vertical contrast. The brickwork and variations in light and shadow are visible on these buildings. The photo is in black and white, creating a somber palette. Smaller structures can be seen in the distance, fading into the city atmosphere. The lack of color emphasizes the light and shadow, textures, and forms of the cityscape.

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    gelatin silver print

  • Credit Line

    Alfred Stieglitz Collection

  • Dimensions

    sheet (trimmed to image): 24 x 18.9 cm (9 7/16 x 7 7/16 in.)
    mount: 55 x 41.9 cm (21 5/8 x 16 1/2 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1949.3.1234

  • Stieglitz Estate Number

    3A

    Part of Stieglitz Key Set Online Edition

    Learn more

  • Key Set Number

    1453

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. 1453.

Inscriptions

by Alfred Stieglitz, on mount, upper center verso, in graphite: A1; upper right verso: E
by Georgia O'Keeffe, lower left verso, in graphite: 3A
by later hands, on mount, center left verso, in graphite: PP; center verso: 16 1/2 x 22 5/8

Wikidata ID

Q64036767

Scholarly Remarks and Key Set Data

Remarks

This print was made from a reversed negative.

For more information about this photograph, see Key Set number 1452.

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