Konrad Cramer, 1914

Key Set Entry

• prev
• 390 of 1642 from the Alfred Stieglitz Key Set
• next

Related Key Set Photographs

Remarks

Born in Würzburg, Germany, in 1888, Konrad Cramer immigrated to the United States in 1911. He studied painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Karlsruhe and spent time in Munich where he met several of the artists associated with Der Blaue Reiter. Cramer moved to Woodstock, New York, and most likely met Stieglitz shortly thereafter. In the 1930s he abandoned painting and devoted himself to photography.

In “Stupendous Stieglitz,” PSA Journal 13 (November 1947), 721, Cramer described having his portrait made by Stieglitz. “His equipment was extremely simple, almost primitive. He used an 8 × 10 view camera, its sagging bellows held up by pieces of string and adhesive tape. The lens was a Steinheil, no shutter. The portraits were made in the smaller of the two rooms at ‘291’ beneath a small skylight. He used Hammer plates with about 3 second exposures. During the exposure, Stieglitz manipulated a large white reflector to balance the overhead light. He made about nine such exposures and we then retired to the wash room which doubled as a darkroom. The plates were developed singly in a tray. From the two best negatives he made four platinum contact prints, exposing the frame on the fire escape. He would tend his prints with more care than a cook does her biscuits. The finished print finally received a coat of wax for added gloss and protection.”

For more information about the painting in the background of this photograph, see Key Set number 389.

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:

George Eastman Museum, Rochester, 74:0052:0058 (inscribed: “291” / 1914 / Mr. Conrad [sic] Cramer / Woodstock N.Y. / Paid 4.25 / value $1000 Insured / +8 [or A] 1/2 2363 Bass wood / Bx 35 / R. 14 × 18 1/2)

Lifetime Exhibitions

A print from the same negative—perhaps a photograph from the Gallery’s collection—appeared in the following exhibition(s) during Alfred Stieglitz’s lifetime:

1921, New York (no. 32, as Konrad Cramer, 1914)

Inscription

by Alfred Stieglitz, on mount, upper left verso, in graphite: Exhibition 1921 Conrad Kramer 1913

by Georgia O'Keeffe, on mount, lower left verso, in graphite: 51 C

Provenance

Georgia O'Keeffe; gift to NGA, 1949.

Bibliography

1947

Cramer, Konrad. "Stupendous Stieglitz." PSA Journal 13 (November 1947): 721.

2002

Greenough, Sarah. Alfred Stieglitz: The Key Set: The Alfred Stieglitz Collection of Photographs. Washington, 2002: vol. 1, cat. 390.

Related Content