Alfred Stieglitz

Alfred Stieglitz (1846-1946) remains one of the most central and influential photographers of the twentieth century. He championed what became known as `straight photography`, a vision of the photograph that sought to establish it as an art form separate from painting and basic to its status as a `modern` medium. He was also a major figure in the modernist movement in the New York of the 1900s and, through his galleries and publications, played a crucial part in the development of both American art and photography. Stieglitz promoted, published and exhibited much of the best photography of the period in his role as editor of the now legendary magazine Camera Work, and through his galleries, and wrote extensively on photography throughout his career.