A Venetian Canal

1894, printed 1897

Alfred Stieglitz

Associated Names
Alfred Stieglitz

Artist, American, 1864 - 1946

This grayscale photograph shows a canal scene. The canal stretches away from us, with tall buildings framing it closely on both sides. A small arched bridge spans the canal in the distance, and there are more buildings visible behind it. Gondolas are parked along the canal, and they are reflected in the water, as are the buildings above. These buildings have narrow balconies and weathered brick, with some dark windows and doorways visible. The image has a soft focus, blurring some details of the scene.

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

    photogravure

  • Credit Line

    Alfred Stieglitz Collection

  • Dimensions

    image: 26.4 x 18.3 cm (10 3/8 x 7 3/16 in.)
    sheet: 51.2 x 40.5 cm (20 3/16 x 15 15/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1949.3.126

  • Portfolio Title

    Picturesque Bits of New York and Other Studies

  • Stieglitz Estate Number

    58E

    Part of Stieglitz Key Set Online Edition

    Learn more

  • Key Set Number

    148

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

Exhibition History

1992

  • Stieglitz in the Darkroom, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, October 4, 1992–February 14, 1993

2003

  • Whistler and His Circle in Venice, The Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC; The Grolier Club, New York, 2003

Bibliography

2002

  • Greenough, Sarah. Alfred Stieglitz: The Key Set: The Alfred Stieglitz Collection of Photographs. Washington, 2002: vol. 1, cat. 148.

Inscriptions

by Alfred Stieglitz, upper left, printed in black ink: COPYRIGHT 1897 BY ALFRED STIEGLITZ

Wikidata ID

Q64034704

Scholarly Remarks and Key Set Data

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:

The Art Institute of Chicago, 1949.886

George Eastman Museum, Rochester, 74:0054:0003

You may be interested in

Loading Results