Imogen Cunningham

Imogen

Cunnin

gham

By Debra A. MurphyEDU 703Professor Peter SmithApril 18, 2011

April 12, 1883 – June 24, 1976

“Imo”

Introd

uct

ion

Born :Portland Oregon – April 12, 1883

Educated:Technische Hochschule – Dresden,

Germany Chemistry

Contemporaries:Alvin Langden CoburnAlfred StieglitzGertrude KasebierAnsel AdamsDorothea LangeMinor White

Exhibits:Brooklyn Academy of Arts and SciencesAn International Exhibition of Pictorial

Photography

Employment:Vanity Fair MagazineFaculty Member California School of Fine

Arts.

Died: June 24, 1976 – San Francisco California

Bota

nic

als

Magnolia-Blossom, 1925

In this close up the subject is clearly the Magnolia Blossom with the subject matter extending

beyond the border.

Bota

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als

The Tulip Tree was captured with Natural Light and a Large Format Camera. The angle of the camera adds depth.

Tulip Tree, 1934

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als

Tower of Jewels, 1925

Extreme Close-up of the inside of a Magnolia is intensified by the effects of the lighting . Imogen made an extended study of

Magnolias for 1923-1925

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Magnolia Bud, 1920’s

All about the light, this image gains its impact from the dark backdrop and the lighting from the right creating a shadow on the left.

Nudes

Portia Hume 2, ~1930

Imogen began to photograph nudes in the early 1900's, and created a series of focused nude studies in the late 20's and early 30's.  This print has a great sense of depth with a warm tone and nice detail in the highlights.

NudesTriangles, 1928

Triangles has become one of Imogen's well-known nudes. Imogen made this 4x5 inch negative, and after developing the negative, she wrote on the file

folder, "The One!“ Again, lighting and the close up nature of the photo intensifies the impact.

Nudes

Triangles Plus 1, 1928

Jackie and Helen Greaves, “Imo’s” friends who she photographed both alone and together. 

Nudes

Figures No. 1, 1923

This image of Imogen's was originally titled "Figures, No. 1" and was taken in the midst of Imogen's interest in both nudes and plant

forms.  Imogen's shift from pictorialism to modernism is clearly evident in this 1923 work.  Again, shadow and light are major

presence in this photograph

Port

rait

sMartha Graham 8, 1931

 Brilliantly lit by the sun and set against the backdrop of a dark, open barn door, Imogen produced ninety Graflex negatives of Martha Graham in one afternoon.  This photo session resulted in the first of a series Imogen had

printed in Vanity Fair in the December, 1931 issue.

Port

rait

sMartha Graham 8, 1931

Again, the use of the black background accentuates the whiteness of Martha’s dress. The image that portrays only the

neck down underscores the importance of the dancer’s body and the light becoming brighter as it reaches the legs establishes

them as the pinnacle of the dancer’s ability – they are the focal point of the image.

Port

rait

sFrida Kahlo

In Imogen’s series of Artist Frida Kahlo, she uses the camera to present Kahlo as a Mexican Princess and royalty that she became to the artistic world.

Port

rait

sFrida Kahlo

The use of shadows here gives Kahlo a solemnity and insinuates a darker side of the artist.

Port

rait

sFrida Kahlo

In this shot, Cunningham illustrates the playful side of Kahlo while maintaining her regality. The traditional clothing against the stark white

stucco back drop accentuates Kahlo’s heritage. The positioning of Kahlo, hands on hips head tilted up exemplifies her defiance of convention and her

confidence.

Imogen

Cunnin

gham

Apri

l 1

2,

18

83 –

June 2

4,

1976