Music—A Sequence of Ten Cloud Photographs, No. IV 1922

Alfred Stieglitz made this gelatin silver print, "Music—A Sequence of Ten Cloud Photographs, No. IV," at an unknown date, but certainly in the early 20th century. Look at how the tones shift and blend. It is almost like he is painting with light, or perhaps more accurately, shadow. The texture is smooth, almost velvety, which draws you into the muted and mysterious scene. At the bottom, a soft band of trees or hills meets the dramatic sky, which is filled with swirling clouds that seem to be alive. Above the distant peak, the sun or moon, veiled by cloud, creates a focal point. It’s like a single, pure note in a complex chord. The way the light filters through, it feels like a quiet, powerful emotion. Stieglitz called these photographs ‘equivalents’ as if the forms in nature could stand in for inner states. It’s a little like the work of Georgia O’Keefe, another artist who found endless inspiration in the world around her. Like music, this photograph doesn’t tell you what to feel, but invites you to feel deeply.