[The Averted Head - A Study in Flesh Tones]

Joseph T. Keiley

1899 · Platinum print · Photographs

Lawyer turned amateur photographer, Keiley was involved in establishing the Photo-Secession, which advocated that photography was a fine art. In the late 1890s, Keiley collaborated with Alfred Stieglitz, the most influential member of the group, to improve a glycerine-developed platinum printing process that made each print unique and emphasized its handmade nature. In this exquisitely crafted figure study, the velvety background provides a contrast to the model’s luminous skin, accentuating the graceful curve of her neck and the soft lines of her obscured profile.

Artist

Joseph T. Keiley

Date

1899

Medium

Platinum print

Department

Photographs

Credit line

Alfred Stieglitz Collection, 1933