Tuesday 13 November 2007

Steichen

Fashion ougths to thank a lot to photography. One of the biggest photographers in history, Edward Steichen, worked for Conde Nast Publications, appearing his images in Vogue and Vanity Fair. For this reason, he was highly criticized. People reproached Steichen the lack of coherence along his career, making a brand of himself rather than an artist.

Edward was dumped for his relationship with fashion, but after all this years, we are still discussing the shallowness of mode: Does it exist only for commercial reasons, or can it be a form of art?

Back to Steichen, I have to say I love his work as much as most couturiers did. As you can see in the photos below, everyone wanted him to capture their creations.

Cheruit dress

Vionnet gown

It comes as no surprise, "The Pond Moonlight" was sold for one of the highest prices ever paid for a photograph.


Song: Pictures of you - The Cure

Note: If you want to read an older post hearing its correspondent music, you only have to choose the right song from the music player.

12 comments:

Mónica said...

I love that picture, it's so... amazing, since I saw it for first time, I can't help but compare every pic I saw with that one. Great post! BTW, I love Steichen work, he is one of my favourites

Rebecca, A Clothes Horse said...

I think photographers get designated as outside of art too many times. Photography can be art, but not always is. Also fashion photography can be art as well.
Anyway, I love all the pictures you chose. Steichen was a genius, screw the critics, as he clearly did.

Victor Castro said...

I don't think back when Steichen was doing his thing that the mainstream and the so called intellectuals at the time did not mesh well. If you read everything that Steichen did, it appears he was discovering different ways to use his talents and succeeded. At the same time it seems that he was being condemned due to his success, sort of like the "sell out" labels we so like to use on mass produced epidemics. Nowadays the biggest photographers are in mainstream media and you do not read any criticism on them. Even though his pictures are simple you can appreciate what he captured. But it's obvious that his work stood the test of time and went on to influence such greats as Jan Saudek and Paul Strand. So yes, screw the critics and let art speak for itself!

beatrice ferenczi said...

Edward Steichen : Rodin et la photographie. Edward Steichen.
Edward Steichen has capted all the essence of the Creation, the mysteries of light, beauty and Time.
Mah: www.finczi.wordpress.com

- said...

the question you are mentioning is quite related with my last post about the relevance of haute couture nowadays

- said...

by the way, thx for the congrats!

Bobble Bee said...

Thanks for postig about Edward Steichen, one of the most interesting fashion photographers,
thanks for featuring pictures of you, my favourite song of all times.

:)

Héloïse J. said...

he pioneered in many ways indeed. he was working as a true artist. nice post. thank you :)

Anonymous said...

that first cover is amazing!!

Kendra said...

love the Vionnet gown photo and the pond moonlight picture is epic. how much did it sell for?

María said...

la belle et la bête: they sold it for $2.9 million.

Andrea Martínez Maugard said...

I posted that Cheruit dress in the metallic inspiration post and I thought it was a lovely picture

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