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ALFRED STIEGLITZ (1864-1946)
Portrait of Dorothy Norman.
Silver print, the image measuring 3
3
/
8
x2
1
/
2
inches (10.1x6.4 cm.), the mount 14
3
/
8
x11
1
/
2
inches (36.5x29.2 cm.), with
Norman’s title and notations “Original of D.N. by Stieglitz - Printed by
D.N. - 30s at his request,” in pencil, and a Collection Dorothy Norman
hand stamp, on mount verso. 1930-36
[20,000/30,000]
From the Collection of Dorothy Norman; to New York Collectors
Gilbert and Marian Seldes.
Dorothy Norman (1905-1997) met Alfred Stieglitz at his Intimate Gallery
in 1927.Although they were each married, the two developed an intimate
relationship, both as lovers and mentor and mentee, which lasted until
Stieglitz’s death in 1946. The older photographer and gallerist nurtured
Norman as an image-maker, giving her a Graflex camera and making
notes on her photographs. Norman pursued photography as a creative
art form but was better known as a humanitarian, essayist and biographer
of Stieglitz.
In the 1930s Norman, who was then in her twenties, was frequently a
subject for Stieglitz, whose expressive portraits are artful depictions of a
young woman discovering her self and love. In this study, Norman appears
unguarded and open.
After Stieglitz’s death, Norman promoted his work and emerged as a
champion of liberal causes. She edited and published
Twice aYear:A Semi-
Annual Journal of Literature, the Arts and Civil Liberties
between 1938 and
1948, and wrote a column, “AWorld to Live In” for the NewYork Post
from 1942 to 1949.
Although several studies of Norman are reproduced in Sarah Greenough’s
publication
Alfred Stieglitz,The Key Set
, this image, which may be unique,
is not among them.