George F. Of 1916

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, ‘George F. Of,’ sometime in the early 20th century. Doesn't it just make you wonder what it was like to be in Stieglitz's studio? George is holding some artworks wrapped in paper; you can almost hear the crinkling sound they would have made. And in the background, there's a painting, maybe by George himself? I am curious about how the abstract forms in the painting might relate to Stieglitz's work. Does the monochrome palette mirror something of the photographic process? Like, what were they thinking when they were making this? It's like they are having a conversation across mediums. Stieglitz, with his camera, and George with his brush... and in their exchange, they challenge each other. What does it mean to represent something? These guys were on a mission, weren't they? They were not just capturing images or making paintings; they were forging a new way of seeing.