Margaret Prosser 1936

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph of Margaret Prosser at an unknown date using gelatin silver print. What strikes me most is the depth of the image, and how that depth is constructed. I love how Stieglitz uses light and shadow to sculpt Prosser’s face. The light isn't just flat; it curves and bends, creating a sense of volume and presence. The shadows around her eyes and along her cheekbones aren’t voids, but active participants in defining her character. It’s like he’s saying that every line, every wrinkle, every shadow tells a story. Stieglitz seems to invite us to consider the complexities of her life and experience. There’s a parallel between the linear marks on Prosser's face and the process of photographic image-making, the way light etches itself onto the photographic paper. Like the portraits of Alice Neel, this piece prompts us to consider how to find beauty in the everyday, embracing the imperfections and vulnerabilities that make us human.