Imogen Cunningham
1883–1976 · United States
A curiosity that moves across subjects.
The story
Cunningham’s long career brought portraiture, the nude, botany and urban life into dialogue. She participated in Group f/64, associated with a pursuit of photographic sharpness and precision. Yet her work is not confined to a formula: experiments, commissions and encounters constantly broadened her eye. Close-up plants and older people alike are approached through their volumes, presence and individual qualities.
Understanding the work
Move from a botanical study to a portrait. Look for what persists in the attention to surfaces and lines, without mistaking a person for a mere formal study.
Key works and series
Magnolia studies; portraits; nudes; After Ninety.
Sources & further exploration
Works in collections.
10 recordsPhotographs to explore on museum and library websites, with titles, dates and processes. Each link opens the collection record and its image where one is available.
