Songs of the Sky B1

1923

Alfred Stieglitz

Associated Names
Alfred Stieglitz

Artist, American, 1864 - 1946

The image shows an upward view of a cloudy night sky with the moon partially obscured by thick clouds. There is no visible horizon in the frame as the focus is entirely on the sky. The clouds diffuse the moonlight, creating a soft glow around the moon and forming a dramatic interplay of light and shadow. The style is reminiscent of a monochromatic palette, using varying shades of grey and black to depict the texture and density of the clouds, creating a moody and mysterious atmosphere. The lack of color enhances the contrast between the illuminated clouds and the darker sky, focusing attention on the celestial elements in the scene. In the distance, the clouds appear dense and brooding, while the radiance of the moon softly penetrates the overcast canopy above.

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): 11.8 x 9.2 cm (4 5/8 x 3 5/8 in.)
    mount: 34.3 x 27.5 cm (13 1/2 x 10 13/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    1949.3.854

  • Stieglitz Estate Number

    157B

    Part of Stieglitz Key Set Online Edition

    Learn more

  • Key Set Number

    898

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. 898.

Inscriptions

by Alfred Stieglitz, on mount, upper left verso, in graphite: Top / B1 [1 in subscript]; upper center verso: Top / B1 [1 in subscript]
by Georgia O'Keeffe, on mount, upper left verso, in graphite: 157B
by later hand, on mount, lower right verso, in graphite: 157B

Wikidata ID

Q64035906

Scholarly Remarks and Key Set Data

Remarks

The dates for this photograph and Key Set numbers 899–904 (Songs of the Sky B1–7) are based on the mounting materials and type of paper, which are similar to those of other dated prints from 1923.

You may be interested in

Loading Results