Edward Steichen

platinum print, framed, a Howard Greenberg Gallery label on the reverse, circa 1900

Collection of Joanna T. Steichen

Acquired from Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York, 2000

Paris, Jeu de Paume, Edward Steichen: Lives in Photography, October - December 2007, and traveling to:

Lausanne, Musée de l'Elysée, January - March 2008

Reggio Emilia, Palazzo Magnani, April - June 2008

Madrid, Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, June - September 2008

Todd Brandow and William A. Ewing, Edward Steichen: Lives in Photography (London, 2007), p. 6 (this print)

This scarce early platinum print is in generally excellent condition. It delivers a world of fascinating detail for a print of its size, from Steichen's haunting facial expression, to the fabric of his jacket, to the glimmer of light on a button. The photograph is trimmed to the image, somewhat unevenly along the lower edge as is visible in the catalogue illustration. When examined very closely or with the aid of magnification, the following are barely discernible: scattered occasional pinpoint-sized rust-colored dots in the lightest area of the image; and a few expertly applied tiny deposits of original retouching. There are two negligible creases along the upper left corner of the print. The reverse of the print is hinged tightly along its upper and lower edges to a modern mount.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This captivating, early self-portrait of a young Edward Steichen comes originally from the photographer’s estate.  A formidable portraitist, Steichen turned the camera upon himself multiple times throughout his career.  In the intimate portrait offered here, the photographer’s face and suit are rendered both with striking detail and impressive tonal range.  Steichen’s self-portraits from this period are exceptionally rare and this photograph is believed to be unique. 

The present self-portrait is remarkable in that it so elegantly illustrates Steichen’s early command of the platinum process.  Intensely interested in art of all media, Steichen first took up photography in 1895, learning technique from whatever manuals he could find.  He quickly began experimenting with non-silver processes, making his first platinum prints in 1900, often toning them with gold or mercury for additional visual impact.  Working with time-intensive photographic processes such as platinum and gum-bichromate gave Steichen and the Pictorialists the atmospheric, painterly effects they desired. 

Steichen was a dedicated reader of Alfred Stieglitz’s Camera Notes (1897-1903), and it was through photogravure reproductions of photographs by Stieglitz, F. Holland Day, Gertrude Käsebier, and others, that Steichen first was exposed to the work that was at the very forefront of photography.  Within its covers he encountered essays on the current debate of photography’s status as a fine art, and he continued these debates with his circle of artist friends and in his own photographs.  Later, Steichen designed the cover art for the important 1904 Photo-Secession exhibition catalogue (see Lot 50), demonstrating his heavy involvement with the group.

When Steichen made the present self-portrait at the turn of the century, he would have been well-aware of the paintings of Claude Monet, George Frederick Watts, and James McNeill Whistler.  Steichen held Whistler in particularly high regard for his attention to craftsmanship and moody, tonalist aesthetic, and the present photograph bears comparison to the painter's Portrait of Whistler with a Hat (1857-59).  In the masterful composition offered here, Steichen combined the aesthetics of the artists he admired with skillful technique to create his unique approach to self-portraiture.