cavetocanvas: Alfred Stieglitz, Spiritual America, 1923 From the Metropolitan Museum of Art: In the decade leading up to the Great Depression, American modernism was a highly contested concept. Stieglitz, perhaps justifiably, considered himself one of the few qualified to dictate its course, having surrounded himself with a group of like-minded and devoted artists, critics, and writers whom he directed in an almost shamanistic fashion. Spirituality loomed large in his vision of American identity, but he was disheartened and offended with what he viewed as a pent-up, materialist, and culturally bankrupt American way. In a rare attempt at ironic commentary, Stieglitz produced this picture of a harnessed, castrated horse—a pure representation of eradicated sexual prowess and restrained muscular energy—and labeled it Spiritual America. In effect, he suggested that America was lacking in spirit by reinterpreting the horse, a traditional American symbol of unstoppable force, as a trussed-up pattern of slick geometry.
Pop-upView Separately

cavetocanvas:

Alfred Stieglitz, Spiritual America, 1923

From the Metropolitan Museum of Art:

In the decade leading up to the Great Depression, American modernism was a highly contested concept. Stieglitz, perhaps justifiably, considered himself one of the few qualified to dictate its course, having surrounded himself with a group of like-minded and devoted artists, critics, and writers whom he directed in an almost shamanistic fashion. Spirituality loomed large in his vision of American identity, but he was disheartened and offended with what he viewed as a pent-up, materialist, and culturally bankrupt American way. In a rare attempt at ironic commentary, Stieglitz produced this picture of a harnessed, castrated horse—a pure representation of eradicated sexual prowess and restrained muscular energy—and labeled it Spiritual America. In effect, he suggested that America was lacking in spirit by reinterpreting the horse, a traditional American symbol of unstoppable force, as a trussed-up pattern of slick geometry.

Source: metmuseum.org

107 Notes/ Hide

  1. umbrakinesis reblogged this from sogoodtillithitsyourfoot
  2. sassmadness reblogged this from juicy-rr
  3. juicy-rr reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  4. blizzard5291 reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  5. aconsummationdevoutlytobewished reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  6. restlessmindsandconstantfetishes reblogged this from seetheforestforthetrees
  7. onlyhorses reblogged this from seetheforestforthetrees
  8. seetheforestforthetrees reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  9. sexreceptacle reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  10. umatoonna reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  11. loveisthewateroflife reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  12. micajon reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  13. drinksinthedark reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  14. lormiguel reblogged this from ratak-monodosico
  15. mermanonfire reblogged this from ratak-monodosico
  16. ratak-monodosico reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  17. artbyred reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  18. todayisboring reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  19. surtonvisage reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  20. artandekklesia reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  21. allthethingswelove reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  22. onwardstoelysium reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  23. akimsafdari reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  24. zephyrean reblogged this from cavetocanvas
  25. sabrina-digital reblogged this from cavetocanvas