Rebecca Salsbury Strand 1922

Editor: We're looking at Alfred Stieglitz’s photograph, "Rebecca Salsbury Strand," taken in 1922, a gelatin-silver print. It's a close-up, almost an intimate, and maybe vulnerable portrait. What strikes me most is the sharp contrast between light and shadow and the upward gaze. What can you tell me about it? Curator: The power of this image rests heavily on the historical and social contexts of the era. Stieglitz, as a promoter of modern art in America, often used portraiture to explore individual identity and the role of women. Given the emerging ideas about women’s roles after the First World War, how do you think this image participated in or challenged those shifting perceptions? Editor: That’s interesting. I guess I hadn't thought about the social aspect too much. I was more caught up in the emotion it seemed to be projecting. Curator: Indeed. But the emotionality is, in part, constructed. Photography at this time was striving for artistic recognition. Stieglitz’s selection of subject, pose, lighting – all contributed to photography’s acceptance into art spaces and high society. We see that influence. Consider its original gallery setting; how might that impact its viewing versus how we view it today in a museum or online? Editor: Wow, it sounds like the presentation of the photo was just as important as the image itself, as a form of validation. So much to consider in one little photograph! Curator: Precisely. Museums create authority. The politics of display affect perception. Ultimately, studying its exhibition history allows a greater understanding of what photography, portraiture, and even womanhood represented at that moment. Editor: Thanks. I didn't really see the photograph in relation to photography's cultural standing before, so now I definitely have a deeper understanding of its historical and social importance.