From the Back-Window—291 1915

Alfred Stieglitz made this gelatin silver print, From the Back-Window—291, sometime in his career, using a monochrome palette that seems to blur the line between realism and abstraction. It's as if he's not just capturing a scene, but also a feeling, a mood. The texture, the way the light catches on the snow-covered rooftops, it’s all about the physicality of the medium. The tones are so muted it's like a memory, something seen through a veil. Look at the rooftops, the way the snow softens the edges of everything, blurring the distinction between one building and the next. It's so subtle but really powerful. This piece reminds me a little of Edward Hopper, especially the way he uses light and shadow to evoke a sense of loneliness and introspection. But Stieglitz has his own unique vision. He's not just documenting the world, he’s inviting us to see it in a new way.