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The gargoyle
(c. 1900)
Medium
platinum photograph
Measurements
20.6 × 13.5 cm (image and sheet)
Credit Line
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased through The Art Foundation of Victoria with the assistance of the Herald & Weekly Times Limited, Fellow, 1979
Public domain
Gallery location
Special Exhibitions Gallery
Ground Level, NGV International
About this work
In the early twentieth century, leading Pictorialist photographer Gertrude Käsebier played a key role in establishing photography as a form of fine art. As a member of the Photo-Secession group alongside Alfred Stieglitz, Käsebier was dedicated to Pictorialism, a style that emphasised artistic expression over documentary accuracy. This photograph, taken in Paris, highlights the painterly, emotional qualities inherent in Pictorialism. Käsebier has created an evocative image using composition and light to transform the scene. After leaving the Photo-Secession group in 1912, Käsebier became a founder and active member of the Pictorial Photographers of America.
Artwork Details
Accession Number
PH27-1979
Department
International Photography
This digital record has been made available on NGV Collection Online through the generous support of the Bowness Family Foundation