Horse and Carriage c. 1922

This is Alfred Stieglitz's photograph, "Horse and Carriage." The image, printed on an 8.9 by 11.8 cm sheet, presents a muted tonal range, dominated by grays and browns. The composition is structured around a convergence of lines – the diagonal of the barn roof, the horizontal of the fence, and the curves of the carriage wheels, all leading the eye deeper into the pictorial space. Stieglitz’s work often explored how photography could be art. Note how the grainy texture and the soft focus challenge photography's claim to objective representation. This piece plays with semiotic notions of indexicality, where the photograph is not just a representation but an imprint of reality. However, Stieglitz manipulates this to create a mood that is more felt than seen. Consider how the formal elements, such as light and shadow, operate within the broader artistic discourse of the time. It's less about capturing a scene and more about creating a visual experience that provokes thought and feeling.