Georgia O'Keeffe—Torso 1931

This is 'Georgia O'Keeffe—Torso,' a photograph by Alfred Stieglitz. It’s an intimate view of the artist Georgia O’Keeffe, who was also Stieglitz’s lover and later his wife. As a photographer, Stieglitz worked in a medium defined by the mechanical process of the camera and the chemical darkroom. The physical act of making the photograph is key here. Stieglitz didn't crop or manipulate his images; what he captured through the lens was what he presented as the final work. This approach elevated photography to the realm of fine art, emphasizing the photographer’s vision and skill in capturing light and form. The choice of subject is equally important. The image challenges conventional portraiture by focusing on a fragment of the body. It invites us to see the human form as both sensual and abstract, much like O’Keeffe's own paintings of flowers. Stieglitz's work prompts us to reconsider the act of seeing and the boundaries between art, craft, and the everyday experience of life.