Imogen Cunningham Self-Portrait

Object Details

Date
1933
Artist
Imogen Cunningham, 12 Apr 1883 - 24 Jun 1976
Sitter
Imogen Cunningham, 12 Apr 1883 - 24 Jun 1976
Exhibition Label
Imogen Cunningham made this self-portrait around the time she joined Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, and other San Francisco photographers to promote photography as a fine art. Cunningham and her friends called their group “f/64,” in reference to the smallest opening of a camera lens, which rendered the greatest range of tone. The name also reveals the group’s distinctive aesthetic, for at this setting, cameras produce images that are crisp, bright, and sharply focused. Her self-portrait embodies this vision, as well as her own interest in close studies of nature and its tactile elements, such as the weather-beaten wood surface behind her and the textures of her camera and soft hat. Though short-lived, f/64 became extraordinarily influential as generations of photographers adopted the standards that Cunningham, Weston, and Adams pioneered.
Imogen Cunningham creó este autorretrato hacia la época en que se unió a Edward Weston, Ansel Adams y otros fotógrafos de San Francisco para promover la fotografía como forma artística. Cunningham y sus amigos llamaron al grupo “f/64”, en alusión a la apertura de lente más pequeña, que producía la gama más amplia de tonos. El nombre también revela la estética distintiva del grupo, ya que con esta apertura la cámara produce imágenes precisas, brillantes y de gran nitidez. Este autor- retrato encarna esa visión junto con el interés de la artista en los estudios detallados de la naturaleza y sus elementos táctiles, como la superficie de madera erosionada que aparece detrás de ella y las texturas de su cámara y su boina. Aunque duró poco, el f/64 fue sumamente influyente para generaciones de fotógrafos que adoptaron los estándares establecidos por Cunningham, Weston y Adams.
Topic
Costume\Dress Accessory\Eyeglasses
Equipment\Camera
Costume\Headgear\Hat\Cap\Beret
Self-portrait
Imogen Cunningham: Female
Imogen Cunningham: Visual Arts\Artist\Photographer
Portrait
See more items in
National Portrait Gallery Collection
Location
Currently not on view
Credit Line
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution
Data Source
National Portrait Gallery
Object number
NPG.93.70
Type
Photograph
Restrictions & Rights
Usage conditions apply
Copyright
© 2018 Imogen Cunningham Trust
Medium
Gelatin silver print
Dimensions
Image/Sheet: 23.8 x 19 cm (9 3/8 x 7 1/2")
Mount: 45.7 x 35.6 cm (18 x 14")
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/sm409bdbcac-db59-4c10-ac38-97e15e3194b8
Record ID
npg_NPG.93.70