Swann Galleries - Photographs & Photobooks - Sale 2426, October 25, 2016

WITH HAND APPLIED COLOR

380

●

ALFRED STIEGLITZ.

291. Numbers 1-12.

Edited by Alfred Stieglitz.The complete series of 12 numbers in 9 issues, including the rare large-

format gravure

The Steerage

from

Number 7-8

. Comprising Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-6, 7-8, 9, 10-11, and 12,

illustrated with reproductions of art work and typographical compositions by important artists,

including Picabia, John Marin, Picasso, Marius de Zayas, and others. Nos. 1 and 4 with pink and

bright blue hand applied color, apparently by the corresponding artist, and No. 9 with the inserted

Modern Gallery announcement. Folios, folded self-wrappers, Nos. 1-9 on heavy paper and 10-12

on a glossy paper, light wear, including 3 with horizontal creases. THE FIRST AND ONLY

EDITION.

NewYork, NewYork:‘291,’ March 1915-February 1916

[30,000/40,000]

WITH—

The Steerage.

Photogravure on Japan vellum, the image measuring 13x10

inches (33x26.4

cm.), the sheet 18

x12

inches (46.4x31.6 cm.). 1907; printed 1915.

Apparently, it was hoped that the appearance of

The Steerage

in the double issue of

291

would satisfy

requests for the image and benefit the journal. Stieglitz directly oversaw the printing of the

photogravure on two types of paper: here we offer the Japan vellum, for which there were apparently

only 100 subscribers.

Unfortunately, there were no further purchasers of this issue of

291

, and after the magazine ended

publication, Stieglitz destroyed most of the unsold issues. As a result, surviving copies of this issue

and its gravure are scarce (Dorothy Norman,

Alfred Stieglitz:An American Seer

, p. 127).

Stieglitz himself said of this iconic image, “If all my photographs were lost and I were represented

only by

The Steerage

, that would be quite all right.”