Customer Reviews

Alfred Stieglitz - The Eloquent Eye [VHS]

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This documentary is one of the finest I have seen. It chronicles the life and work of Alfred Stieglitz, with reflections by his wife, artist Georgia O'Keefe, and several other important 20th Century American artists and photographers. The film is illustrated with many of Stieglitz' powerful photographs and demonstrates his singular impact on photography as an art form. Stieglitz' support and influence on other artists is explored, as are exhibitions of paintings, photography and literary works that he introduced to the public via his New York galleries and his publication "Camera Works". I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BEAUTIFUL FILM!!!

This 90 minute American Masters documentary chronicles the journey of photographer Alfred Stieglitz, whose life closely parallels the birth of the Modernist Art movement within American culture. The story begins in late 1880's Berlin, with Stieglitz ending his studies as a mechanical engineering student to take up intensive self study in the then new medium of photography. With an allowance from his supportive father, he traveled to Austria and Italy making many early photographs.

In 1893, we find Stieglitz in New York City, where he begins his struggle to help make the practice of photography become recognized as a serious form of artistic expression. By 1902, along with a group of accomplished photographers, he formed an organization called the Photo Secession. Their highly coveted publication, "Camera Work", was propagated throughout the city by word of mouth.

From 1902 to 1907, Stieglitz championed the work of other photographers, rather than his own work, in a new gallery at 291 5th avenue. Gradually, the gallery shows began to include works of new painters from Europe, in addition to those first works of the New York photographers. An early exhibit of the work of Picasso at "291" in 1911, was Picasso's first one-man show in the United States.

With the American involvement in World War I during 1917, Gallery 291 closed and the publication of "Camera Work" ceased. Stieglitz's correspondence with painter Georgia O'Keeffe helped to sustain him through these emotionally difficult years of social isolation. In 1922, O'Keefe and Stieglitz were married. Stieglitz made approximately 300 intimate portraits of O'Keeffe around this time, creating one of the first deeply devotional photographic portrait series ever attempted.

With the advent of the great depression, Stieglitz's anarchist sensibilities began to clash with the collectivist mood of the time. This led to a body of profoundly elegiac portraits of New York City, completed during the later years of his life. In 1937, Stieglitz laid down his camera, abandoning further photography. He died during the year 1946.

This documentary details the work of an astonishing range of visual artists and writers whose lives were intertwined with the life of Alfred Stieglitz. It allows each artist to "speak the truth as they see it" and will make a welcome addition to any comprehensive study on the history of modern art.

the hand portraits this artist took of his wife, lover, and muse Georgia O'Keeffe? There are some artists who walk this planet who are what I call "hub" artists, meaning that without their presence there would be no "spoke" artists. And when you take the time to review who his spoke artists were then you can begin to get a glimpse of the power and influence of this great mind.

This man not only mentored some of the greatest minds in the timeline of art but he inspired and supported them in ways that led to their achievments. Names such as Picasso are just a few. In the day when French Impressionists were literally snubbed and pushed out of the art community he created a place for them, gave them a home, gave them a boost.

Any serious art photographer must have this on their studio shelf, as well, any serious art photography University level program is sure to include this in the standardized required texts for the course syllabus'.

This is a really excellent review of Alfred Stieglitz and his contributions to photography and art, generally. It covers his life and contains excellent vignettes on Edward Stiechen, Georgia O'Keefe, and many other artists whose lives and works he influenced. The 90-minute DVD serves as a very good introduction to the history of American photography and photography as art-form. Highly recommended, if this is what you're interested in.

I read a biography on Georgia O'keeffe and then I bought this for some further enlightenment on both of these amazing artists. There is some great footage of interviews with O'keeffe as well as being a great biography on Steglitzs'life. If you like either of these artists it's worth the money!

I had heard of Alfred Stieglitz as one of the original photographic masters, but had no idea of his influence in New York in developing the cultural center for photography as well as art at the turn of the century. He has such strong convictions, it is a good treatise on photography as an ART form, rather than just as a historical record of events. This movie is a good springboard to reading some of his published works, such as Stieglitz on Photography, which is one of the easier reads and includes most of his essays. Along with Ansel Adams' books, Stieglitz is a must for those wishing to develop truly artistic works with their photography.

Well, done, wide ranging, long. I bought this for my high school digital photography class, however, and it isn't suitable for that.