From My Window at An American Place, North 1930 - 1931

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, "From My Window at An American Place, North," with a camera, of course, and a darkroom, to reveal the print. It's a process, like any art, where you choose, develop, and then present your vision. What strikes me is the tonal range, how Stieglitz coaxes so many grays out of what seems like a simple scene. There's a real density in the mid-tones, a kind of urban fog that softens the edges of the buildings. Your eye dances around the image to make sense of the complex architectural forms. Look at the upper-right corner, how the soft tonality makes you forget all the angles. This image reminds me of the urban landscapes of the Ashcan School painters, like John Sloan. Both Stieglitz and Sloan shared an interest in capturing the essence of city life, its energy, its chaos, and its quiet moments of beauty. It’s like they’re showing us that beauty isn't just in pretty things, but in how we see, and what we choose to focus on.