Rainbow 1920

Alfred Stieglitz captured this photograph titled "Rainbow" using a platinum print, showcasing the tonal range achievable through this medium. Notice how the composition divides into horizontal bands: the dense foliage at the base, the solid mass of the hill, and the expansive sky above. The eye is drawn upward by the soft verticality of the rainbow itself, which bisects the scene, creating a tension between the grounded landscape and the ethereal sky. Stieglitz manipulates light and shadow to evoke mood, turning a natural phenomenon into a study of form. Consider the symbolic weight of the rainbow, often a sign of promise. Yet here, its muted presence raises questions about the nature of such promises. It disrupts the conventional landscape, challenging our reading of nature as simply pastoral or sublime. Instead, Stieglitz infuses it with a sense of the uncertain. The photograph becomes not just a depiction of a rainbow but an exploration of light, form, and the symbolic potential inherent in natural phenomena.