Hedwigspath, Oaklawn, Lake George
1888, printed 1895/1896
Medium
platinum print
Dimensions
sheet (trimmed to image): 18.9 × 15 cm (7 7/16 × 5 7/8 in.) page size: 34.8 × 27 cm (13 11/16 × 10 5/8 in.)
Classification
Photograph
Department
CPH
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Alfred Stieglitz Collection
Accession Number
1949.3.53
Art Historical Context
**Hedwigspath, Oaklawn, Lake** (1888, printed 1895/1896) captures a serene path winding through the lush landscape of Lake George, New York, by pioneering photographer Alfred Stiegl. Taken early in his career, this intimate view evokes the natural beauty of the Adirondack region, a popular 19th-century retreat. The title "Hedwigspath"—likely "Hedwig's," referencing a personal or familial name—hints at a private, evocative moment amid grand scenery, blending the personal with the picturesque. Printed as a platinum print, a medium Stieglitz championed for its subtle tonal range, rich blacks, an...
About the Artist
Alfred Stieglitz · 1864–1946
Alfred Stieglitz (1864-1946) was a pioneering American photographer, art dealer, publisher, and advocate for the Modernist movement who was instrumental over his 50-year career in making photography an accepted art form. Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, to German Jewish immigrant parents, Stieglitz spent his formative years studying mechanical engineering in Berlin, where he discovered photography in ...