"Philemon" 1900

"Philemon" (1900) is a photogravure by Katherine Sheward Stanbery, an American artist working at the turn of the 20th century. The image captures a figure in silhouette, playing the piano, their form illuminated by a soft light emanating from an overhead lamp. The subject's contemplative posture and the shadowy atmosphere of the scene contribute to a sense of intimacy and quietude, hallmarks of the Pictorialist movement. Stanbery's use of soft focus and the subtle play of light and shadow are characteristic of this photographic style, which sought to elevate photography to the status of fine art.