Eva Herrmann 1926

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph of Eva Herrmann sometime in the early 20th century. The gelatin silver print process, which became standard in the late 19th century, involves coating paper with light-sensitive silver halide crystals. This process enabled the mass production of photographs, transforming photography from an elite pursuit to a widely accessible medium. Stieglitz fully embraced this accessibility, championing photography as a fine art form. The gelatin silver print gives this image a stark, almost clinical quality. The tonal range is wide, from the bright highlights on Herrmann's skin to the deep shadows in the background. Stieglitz's work acknowledges the labour involved in creating an image: the industrial process behind the materials, his labour in the darkroom, and the model's labour in posing. Ultimately, understanding the materials and processes used to create "Eva Herrmann" helps us to appreciate its social and cultural significance. Stieglitz elevated photography to the realm of fine art, challenging traditional distinctions between art and craft.