Charles Demuth 1923

Alfred Stieglitz made this photograph, titled ‘Charles Demuth’, sometime in the earlier part of the twentieth century. He captures two hands almost touching, caught in this delicate dance with light. What strikes me is the intimacy of the image. It's not just about capturing a likeness, it’s more like feeling the way light and shadow shape our understanding of touch, of connection. See how the light glides over the skin, creating these subtle gradations, from soft grey to deep, velvety blacks. It’s like he’s painting with light, revealing the texture of the skin, the bones beneath. The cuffs are crisp, almost austere against the warmth of the hands. The detail is incredible, you can almost feel the warmth between the hands. Stieglitz’s approach here reminds me a little of Edward Weston, especially in the way he finds this raw beauty in the everyday, transforming it into something monumental. Like all great art, it’s a conversation across time, echoing, questioning, always searching.