James Stephens 1935

Imogen Cunningham made this photograph of James Stephens, and well, she really caught him in a moment, didn’t she? Look at his face. It is full of character. What was he thinking? Maybe he was trying to recall a half-forgotten poem, or perhaps he was reacting to the feeling of the sun on his face. The beauty of a great portrait like this is that we, as viewers, get to project our own interpretations onto it. Cunningham has so brilliantly captured a private moment, inviting us to reflect on the human condition, the passage of time, and the beauty of imperfection. It reminds me of other artists, like Alice Neel, who found beauty and meaning in the everyday. It is a conversation across time, each artist speaking to the other through their own unique lens.