The Glow of Night—New York, 1896, printed 1897

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Remarks

Noting that night photography “has been the novelty of the year,” Stieglitz wrote an article asserting that most examples “thus far exhibited are more or less topographical, with but little attempt at real picture making.” He made The Glow of Night at about 9 p.m. with an exposure of fifty-eight seconds: “This shortening of the exposure makes it possible to include life in night photographs of this character, thus increasing the possibilities of picture-making.” He concluded that a certain amount of halation “gives a more sincere and picturesque rendering of the object itself. Especially on rainy nights, and these are certainly the most thankful for the night photographer, all those who have studied the subject carefully will see a bright glow around the lights themselves. Why eliminate them in a picture?” (“Night Photography with the Introduction of Life,” The American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1898 [New York, 1897], 204–207).

This photograph and Key Set numbers 252–262 feature the globe lights of the Hotel Savoy, which was located at 5th Avenue and 59th Street.

Stieglitz Collections

A corresponding print was given to the following institution(s) by Alfred Stieglitz during his lifetime, or was received or acquired from the estate:

George Eastman Museum, Rochester, 74:0054:0007

Lifetime Exhibitions

A print from the same negative—perhaps a photograph from the Gallery’s collection—appeared in the following exhibition(s) during Alfred Stieglitz’s lifetime:

1896, Hamburg (no. 473, as Abendstimmung)
1897, London, Salon (no. 178, as The Glow of Night)
1897, London, R.P.S. (no. 440, as The Glow of Night, lantern slide)

Lifetime Publications

A reproduction of this work appeared in the following publication(s) during Alfred Stieglitz’s lifetime:

James B. Carrington, “Night Photography,” Scribner’s Magazine 22 (November 1897): 628 (ill., The Glow of Night / “Taken at 9:30 P.M., in January 1897. Time of exposure fifty-five seconds.”)

Marmaduke Humphrey, “Triumphs in Amateur Photography,” Godey’s Magazine 135 (December 1897): 584 (ill., The Glow of the Night)

Picturesque Bits of New York and Other Studies (New York, 1897): unnumbered (ill., The Glow of the Night—New York)

Alfred Stieglitz, “Night Photography with the Introduction of Life,” The American Annual of Photography and Photographic Times Almanac for 1898 (New York, 1897): 206 (ill., Fifth Avenue on a Rainy Night)

Inscription

by Alfred Stieglitz, upper left, printed in black ink: COPYRIGHT 1897 BY ALFRED STIEGLITZ

Provenance

Georgia O'Keeffe; gift to NGA, 1949.

Bibliography

2002

Greenough, Sarah. Alfred Stieglitz: The Key Set: The Alfred Stieglitz Collection of Photographs. Washington, 2002: vol. 1, cat. 251.

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