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Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and His Work

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Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and His Work Undergraduate Review Volume 2 Issue 1 Article 8 1988 Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and His Work Bill Wetzel '89 Illinois Wesleyan University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/rev Recommended Citation Wetzel '89, Bill (1988) "Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and His Work," Undergraduate Review: Vol. 2 : Iss. 1 , Article 8. Available at: https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/rev/vol2/iss1/8 This Article is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Commons @ IWU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this material in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/ or on the work itself. This material has been accepted for inclusion by faculty at Illinois Wesleyan University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ©Copyright is owned by the author of this document. Wetzel '89: Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and H Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and His Work Bill Wetzel Published by Digital Commons @ IWU, 1988 27 1 Undergraduate Review, Vol. 2, Iss. 1 [1988], Art. 8 The transformation of Alfre( promoter in 1907 to a self,refle to changes occurring in society personal dimensions to his met I Armory Show marked a clinwc public. The results of the Anne towards his personal goal to est The decade encompassing \1t United States. The alterations American culture. The ninetec replaced by new input. The pr( between a new generation of "i of the more traditional "custod The "custodians" were a nun to oppose change from ninetee describes the values of these cc Howells, stating that Howells ' civilization was treading a sure toward moral and material imp decisions about this forward mt people."2 However, in his vie" of inherited tradition had some standards."3 The "custodians" I the future would only result frc a continuation of American ni: an allegiance to three central c expresses, "these were first, th. values; second, the inevitabilit and third, the importance of b maintenance of past tradition· "custodians" were concerned. The "iconoclasts" were encc values under modem conditio. work was accomplished by mal pushing for change in society. life in modem times were a sui was no longer a need to folloW' from tradition had been gainir points out that "Well before 1~ been partly rejected by some p grounds. "6 The goals of these • radical; however, their questio ideas originating in Europe. 28 https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/rev/vol2/iss1/8 2 • W"j'2tP' 'rif 'n" ~'? t Wetzel '89: Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and H The transformation of Alfred Stieglitz from a pioneer modem art promoter in 1907 to a self-reflective photographer by 1920 can be linked to changes occurring in society at the time. However, there are also personal di.mensions to his metamorphosis that are unique to him. The Armory Show marked a climax of his support of modem art for the public. The results of the Armory Show began his return movement towards his personal goal to establish photography as art. The decade encompassing World War I was a period of change in the United States. The alterations involved nearly all segments of American culture. The nineteenth-century ideals and goals were replaced by new input. The process of change involved a struggle between a new generation of "iconoclasts" who challenged the authority of the more traditional "custodians" of culture. The "custodians" were a number of conservatives, organized loosely, to oppose change from nineteenth-century traditions. Henry May describes the values of these conservatives represented by William Dean Howells, stating that Howells "had always believed that American civilization was treading a sure path, whatever the momentary failures, toward moral and material improvement."1 He also believed that "basic decisions about this forward movement could be best made by the whole people."2 However, in his view, "men of education and ability and even of inherited tradition had some special responsibility for maintaining standards."3 The "custodians" promoted an optimism that success in the future would only result from preservation of the past. They desired a continuation of American nineteenth-century civilization, through an allegiance to three central doctrines of that era. Henry May expresses, "these were first, the certainty and universality of moral values; second, the inevitability, particularly in America, of progress; and third, the importance of traditional literary culture."4 The maintenance of past tradition was the key to success as far as the "custodians" were concerned. The "iconoclasts" were encouraging re-examination of traditional values under modem conditions. They were not an organization: their work was accomplished by many indirectly related movements that were pushing for change in society. They believed that "the events of daily life in modem times were a sufficient source of moral value."s There was no longer a need to follow precedents set by the past. This break from tradition had been gaining strength for several years. Henry May points out that "Well before 1912 the dominant American credo had been partly rejected by some people on simple, instinctive, emotional grounds."6 The goals of these early opponents of tradition were not radical; however, their questions paved the way for more devastating ideas originating in Europe. 29 Published by Digital Commons @ IWU, 1988 3 Undergraduate Review, Vol. 2, Iss. 1 [1988], Art. 8 Henry May, in The End of American Innocence, emphasizes that the frenzy of bitterness towards tha biggest single shock to tradition came from European art. "Not gloat over every tale of brutaU~ literature but the graphic arts," he argues, "gave American taste its circles. 11 sharpest jolt during the prewar years. "7 The Armory Show of 1913 was an invasion of modem art and thought from Europe that exposed the The Allies won the war, but the gap between American and European ideas. Americans, who had concerned pessimism among th4 accepted the Ash Can school as the model for progressive art, were not The war's effect pushed the p prepared for the European innovations displayed at the International "iconoclasts." The three central Exhibition of Modem Art. According to Henry May, "Only a handful were shown to be false during tl of Americans, Alfred Stieglitz in his gallery, Gertrude Stein in Paris, destined to a certain and bright had seen this new storm on the horizon. "8 clearly in the aftermath of the \l Stieglitz did not playa direct role in the organization of the Armory by both sides in the struggle. TI Show, but his studio was frequented by Arthur Davies and some of for the optimistic beliefs in unh the others who shaped the exhibition. Judith Zilczer noted that while The importance of American lit "most of the members of the Association [AAPS] belong to the realistic some time. The popularity of eJl tradition of Robert Henri, the exhibition which they sponsored had and events such as the Armory: greater affinities with the modem art promoted at Alfred Stieglitz's to America. Photo Secession Gallery. "9 Stieglitz played a vital role in educating a Stieglitz was a part of this cm few artists and promoters in America about current European art. "modem" beliefs. Stieglitz, the 1 His work promoting modem art in New York helped make the Armory many who helped provide back~ Show possible. He was comfortable in his small gallery that allowed but the changes of the time mm intimate contact between visitors, artists, and himself. Stieglitz him. His work characterized his was not attempting to overthrow traditional cultural values: he was its ability to react positively to r carrying out, in his own style, an attempt to bring modernism into Armory Show, which freed muc: American art. to by traditionalists, that caused Stieglitz did not fit either of Henry May's characteristics of the the American public. extreme radical; those being "sweeping irrationalism" and "unmoral Stieglitz's attempt to expose t materialism".l0 He was acting on carefully thought out goals that he on his longer struggle to establis applied to "291" and Camera Work. Money was not a primary concern photography lasted his lifetime, of Stieglitz either; he supported artists out of his own pocket and was varied. During the 1890's he en_ always near the financial ruin that eventually caught up with him. The America to experiment with the; success of the "iconoclasts" in shedding the traditions of the variety of different subjects as tl: nineteenth-century took time. is no reason why the American There was no single event that marked the end of the period of pictures by photographic means change, however, the war in Europe brought home a new image of remains that he does not do so. : humanity-inhumanity. The war destroyed the optimism of the how to catch up with Europe in. "custodians" and their movement towards a brighter future. They had tried to create an image of the war that presented the British as the In what respects are our phol morally superior society and the Germans as barbarians. Paul More and compared with those of our En, Irving Babitt, two conservatives who defended traditional values, our technique, fully equal to th admitted, sense for composition and for photograph of artistic value-ir There is nevertheless a touch of the irrational and the indecent in our 30 https://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/rev/vol2/iss1/8 4 ~"', ___ ..,+.""· t$t' 8 Iiili'liiiIfflOilifililitMlIiI:.Tcillll' ----- Wetzel '89: Alfred Stieglitz & the Armory Show: Its Impact on His Life and H ·nocence, emphasizes that the frenzy of bitterness towards that country [Germany], and in readiness to 1m European art.
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