Dimensions: image: 18.6 x 22.8 cm (7 5/16 x 9 in.) sheet: 20.1 x 25.2 cm (7 15/16 x 9 15/16 in.) mat: 51.8 x 39.9 cm (20 3/8 x 15 11/16 in.)
Copyright: National Gallery of Art: CC0 1.0
Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, of Georgia O’Keeffe’s hands and breasts, with a camera and photographic paper. The tonal range suggests a controlled process of darkroom manipulation, coaxing out the forms from the light-sensitive emulsion. There is a striking tension in the composition. The soft curves of skin are rendered with such clarity and precision that the image almost feels like a sculptural relief. Look at the way the light falls across the fingers, creating shadows that define the shapes of the breasts. It’s an intimate gesture, but also a formal exploration of form and texture. The image dances between the erotic and the abstract. I can't help but think of Robert Mapplethorpe when I see this work. Like Stieglitz, Mapplethorpe also played with the edges of representation, challenging our notions of beauty and desire. With both artists, the work embraces ambiguity, allowing for multiple readings and interpretations.
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