Edward Steichen

Gloria Swansen, 1924

This iconic photo of the movie star Gloria Swansen creates an air of mystery about her, making the observer wonder what is going through her mind at the time that the photo was taken. The pattern of contrast that the lace creates makes a unique framing effect around her face. The viewer is drawn to the eyes, with the diagonal and curvilinear lines pointing towards them. There are still bright whites seen in the photo, especially in her eyes and on her nose, while the dark black on her head and lips creates a sort of symmetry. The lace also guides the eye around the image, not just to one section in particular. Overall, it is a well composed and pleasing portrait.

Steichen was born 27 March 1879 in Luxembourg, however his family emigrated to the US in 1881 in hopes of a better life. They lived in Michigan for a little while, then in 1889 moved to Milwaukee. Between 1894 and 1898 he apprenticed as a designer, studied painting, and helped to organize an Art Students League. Steichen decided to study painting in 1900 in Paris, and on his way there he met Alfred Stieglitz who would become very influential later on in his life. He was a commander in WWI of an aerial photography unit, and he retired as a lieutenant colonel in 1918. Through his earnings in photography Steichen was able to save enough money by 1938 to move to France to spend time as a horticulturist. He was called to duty once again in 1942, serving as a lieutenant commander in the US Navy, where he was in charge of photographing the navel aspects of the war. in 1963 Steichen was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President John F. Kennedy. After continuing his career as a photographer the remainder of his life, Steichen died in Connecticut in 1973.

In 1896 Steichen's father gave him his first camera and he was hooked. By 1899 he entered his first exhibition at the Second Salon of Philadelphia. Between 1906 and 1914 Steichen lived in paris, studying painting and photography. During WWI, in 1914 he comanded the Photographic Division of Aeriel Photography. In 1918 he made the decision to shift his entire creative focus to photography. Steichen also made the move to creating sharp, clear, close-up images as opposed to impressionistic style photos. He also took portraits for Vanity Fair, earning him the reputation of "world's best portrait photographer". He became chief photographer for Conde Nast publications, which allowed him to travel Europe to photograph fasion, as well as famous writers, artists, and politicians. Called into war again in 1942 he took photos of the navel aspects, from the deck of the US Navy ships. Between 1947 and 1962 he was the director of the photography department at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In 1952 Steichen began organizing an exhibition that would be a compilation of the best photographers in the word. It took three years, but the exhibition, The Family Man, was well worth the wait. It is estimated that this exhibition was his greatest achievement. By the end of his life though Steichen admited he didn't care anymore about having photography recognized as a fine art. His mission at that point was to explain man to man, and each man to himself.

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