Discuss a Gertrude Kaesebier Photograph

[Jim Chinn]

I really enjoy both images. Very straight forward presentations for the time, especially Red Man, where the focus is so much about the eyes of the subject. The tightly cropped closeup would have been a huge departure from the photographic conventions of the day.

[Chazzy]

I remember Ms Nesbitt the best from the movie 'Ragtime'. Elizabeth McGovern probably studied that photo to get the sense of her, and I'm sure the makeup people must have studied it as well. The Stanford White murder was all the rage back then...

http://imdb.com/title/tt0082970/

Cheers,
Richard

I was going to recommend the novel _Ragtime_ myself, but you beat me to it. At the risk of repeating myself, I find that portrait absolutely fascinating. Incidentally, the Barbara Michaels book on Käsebier is well worth having, in my opinion.

[Gay Larson]

Red Man is wonderful. I like that the texture of the blanket come across so well, i could almost feet it's roughness. His eyes draw you in. Thanks for posting

[smieglitz]

I believe the portrait of Evelyn Nesbit is laterally reversed here. The 1903 version in Camera Work has her holding the pitcher in her right hand and hair cascading over her left shoulder. It flows much better that way IMO. It is also printed very warm unlike the version shown above.

Joe

[catem]

She is indeed seductive, the photograph is sensual, even erotic (yikes don't go there). Less is more. Thanks Suzanne for posting.

Cate

[SuzanneR]

I believe the portrait of Evelyn Nesbit is laterally reversed here. The 1903 version in Camera Work has her holding the pitcher in her right hand and hair cascading over her left shoulder. It flows much better that way IMO. It is also printed very warm unlike the version shown above.

Joe

oops.. quite right, Joe!

[Bill Mitchell]

That's strange -- I've been familiar with the Nesbitt image for years, and never throught it was anything but a tacky illustration of a notorous woman. Printed "backwards" as your first illustration, however, I find it extremely sensual, almost erotic.
Much later, Dorothea Lange made an image similar to Red Man, which I've always admired, but the Kaesebier is even finer.
Thank you for presenting these. I'll have to look up Gertrude in more detail.

[blansky]

Evelyn Nesbit.... the girl on the red velvet swing.

http://www.prairieghosts.com/thaw.html


Michael

[reellis67]

Interesting back story - very sad really. Gertrude seems to be overshadowed by others from her time these days but her work is quite impressive, at least to my eye. These are good examples of her work too - I particularly like the Nesbit photograph, but I always have. There is something in her stance that, as other have mentioned, is quite captivating. I'm not very knowledgeable when it comes to portraiture, but these photographs are both very engaging.

- Randy

[Charles Webb]

Her work has long been on my list of favorites, I however do not like the top of the heads to be chopped off. I am sure she was trying to make a statement of her style, but I think it might have worked even better to be a bit more conventional. Just my opinion, I would rather see the complete image. I respect her work very much!


Charlie...............................