Arthur G. Dove 1912

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph of Arthur G. Dove, most likely in his New York studio. It's a gelatin silver print, so you know there was a dark room involved, the smell of chemicals and the soft glow of the safelight. Looking at Dove's face, I feel like Stieglitz has captured something essential about him: his quiet intensity, his gaze is both direct and inward. He's dressed in a dark suit, a white shirt peeking out at the collar, his hand resting in his lap. The light is soft, enveloping him, as if to invite contemplation and introspection. I wonder if Stieglitz asked him to sit that way, or if it was a natural pose for him, something that says, I’m an artist, I'm thinking. You know, artists are always looking at each other, inspiring each other, egging each other on. This portrait feels like a moment of quiet recognition between two artists, two friends.