Mrs. Stieffel 1921

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph of Mrs. Stieffel sometime in the late 19th or early 20th century, using a process that allowed for incredible tonal range and subtle gradations of light. Look at the way the light falls across her face, how Stieglitz coaxes a soft glow from the shadows. It's like he's painting with light, carefully building up layers of tone to create a sense of depth and volume. The textures are amazing too. The delicate lace of her bonnet is rendered with such precision, it almost feels like you could reach out and touch it. The soft focus gives the image a dreamlike quality. I'm reminded of the work of Julia Margaret Cameron, another photographer who was interested in capturing the inner lives of her subjects. Stieglitz, like Cameron, seems to be searching for something beyond the surface, a sense of character. Art is always a conversation, an ongoing dialogue between artists across time.