The Letter thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C , Case MB2H, Shelf DR8

The Letter

Photograph
1906 (photographed)
Artist/Maker
Kasebier (photographer)

Käsebier studied painting before opening a photography studio in New York. Her Pictorialist photographs often combine soft focus with experimental printing techniques. These sisters were dressed in historic costume for a ball, but their pose transforms a society portrait into a narrative picture. In a variant image, they turn to look at the framed silhouette on the wall.


Object details

Categories
Photographs
The Royal Photographic Society
Portraits
RPS Digitisation Project
Object type
Photograph
TitleThe Letter (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Platinum print
Photographic Paper
Platinum
Photography
Brief description
Photograph by Gertrude Käsebier, 'The Letter', 1906, platinum print
Physical description
Black and white photograph depicting two women dressed in elaborate white dresses looking at a letter
Dimensions
  • Height: 208mm
  • Width: 155mm
Style
20th Century First Quarter
Gallery label
  • Photography Centre 2018-20: Collection in Focus: Alvin Langdon Coburn (1882–1966) The British-American photographer Alvin Langdon Coburn enjoyed success on both sides of the Atlantic. Active in the early 20th century, he gained recognition from a young age as a talented photographer. His style ranged from the painterly softness of Pictorialism to the unusual vantage points and abstraction of Modernism. As well as being a practising photographer, Coburn was an avid collector. In 1930 he donated over 600 photographs to the Royal Photographic Society. The gift included examples of Coburn’s own work alongside that of his contemporaries, many of whom are now considered to be the most influential of their generation. Coburn also collected historic photographs, and was among the first in his time to rediscover and appreciate the work of 19th-century masters like Julia Margaret Cameron and Hill and Adamson. 15. Gertrude Käsebier (1852–1934) The Letter 1906 Platinum print Museum no. RPS.62-2018
  • Making It Up: Photographic Fictions (2018) Marta Weiss Käsebier studied painting before opening a photography studio in New York. Her Pictorialist photographs often combine soft focus with experimental printing techniques. These sisters were dressed in historic costume for a ball, but their pose transforms a society portrait into a narrative picture. In a variant image, they turn to look at the framed silhouette on the wall.
Credit line
The Royal Photographic Society Collection at the V&A, acquired with the generous assistance of the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Art Fund.
Object history
Given by Alvin Langdon Coburn to the Royal Photographic Society, 1930
Summary
Käsebier studied painting before opening a photography studio in New York. Her Pictorialist photographs often combine soft focus with experimental printing techniques. These sisters were dressed in historic costume for a ball, but their pose transforms a society portrait into a narrative picture. In a variant image, they turn to look at the framed silhouette on the wall.
Other numbers
  • 5067 - Royal Photographic Society number
  • 2003-5001/2/20259 - Science Museum Group accession number
Collection
Department of Photography
Accession number
RPS.62-2018

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJanuary 26, 2018
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1429448/the-letter-photograph-kasebier/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest