Emil C. Zoler 1912 - 1913

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph of Emil C. Zoler, sometime in the early 20th Century. There is a soft focus in the image, which feels kind of dreamy and romantic. It’s interesting to see the darks and lights as brushstrokes almost, the way the light falls on the collar feels like a painterly mark, full of expression. The surface has this incredible depth, a range of tones from almost black to bright white, and all these subtle shades in between. The way the light hits the face, drawing your eye to the man’s gaze, that look he’s giving you. It’s like he’s really seeing you. It makes me think of those old master portraits, like Rembrandt, where the artist is trying to capture the essence of a person, not just their likeness, and it’s cool to see Stieglitz doing something similar with the camera. You can see a connection between the two, this idea of art as a way to really see and understand each other.