Night—Fifth Avenue c. 1898 - 1932

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, “Night—Fifth Avenue”, at an undetermined date, though we can imagine it was a cold one. The way he’s captured the reflections of light on the wet street has this painterly quality – it's a dance between light and shadow. The whole image is like a study in contrasts, isn't it? The city lights glow against the dark of the night, and the bare trees stand out against the buildings in the background. The textures, too, are amazing - from the smooth, wet pavement to the rough bark of the trees. It's almost like you can feel the chill in the air just by looking at it. The single lamppost on the right, it's like a lonely figure standing watch. It's a detail that pulls you in, makes you wonder about the stories this street could tell. It's a little like Whistler's nocturnes, don't you think? That same moodiness, that same focus on atmosphere over detail. And in both, there’s this beautiful sense of openness, of not quite knowing, that I find so compelling.