"Philemon" 1900

"Philemon" was made in 1900 by Katherine Sheward Stanbery, a photographer working at the turn of the century. Stanbery's soft focus and tonalist aesthetic reflects the influence of Pictorialism, a movement which sought to elevate photography to the status of art through painterly effects. The subject of the photograph, a man seated at a piano illuminated by a lamp, evokes themes of domesticity, intellect, and perhaps even isolation. It’s possible to consider this image through the lens of gender and performance. In the Edwardian era, musical performance was a carefully crafted presentation, especially for women. However, here the musician is cast in shadow, a melancholic figure at his instrument. Stanbery's work invites us to consider the emotional and personal dimensions of artistic expression at the beginning of the 20th century.