The Steerage

A couple of weeks ago, I promised more photography in DailyArt. So here it is!

Some critics have hailed The Steerage as one of the greatest photographs of all time because it captures in a single image both a formative document of its time and one of the first works of artistic modernism.

As the founder of the Little Galleries of the Photo-Secession (the first influential group of American photographers that worked to have photography accepted as a fine art) and the publisher of Camera Notes and Camera Work, Alfred Stieglitz played a crucial role in championing photography as a fine art in America during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Steerage presents a decisive shift in Stieglitz’s practice—from the painterly, Symbolist-inspired prints of his earlier years to a more direct, unembellished portrayal of everyday life.

The photograph has often been interpreted as a poignant cultural document from an era of immigration to America. The image was taken aboard a ship traveling from the United States to Europe, however, not the other way around. This has led some scholars to suggest that the scene depicts passengers who had been denied entry to the U.S. and were being sent back. While it is possible that a few individuals were returning due to not meeting immigration requirements—such as health or financial qualifications—it is more likely that many of the passengers were skilled laborers. Artisans involved in trades like cabinetmaking, woodworking, and marble installation were frequently granted temporary two-year visas to work in America’s booming construction industry, returning home when their contracts ended.

P.S. Alfred Stieglitz was one of the most important American photographers. He was also married to one of the most important American painters! Learn more about the revolutionary love of Georgia O’Keeffe and Alfred Stieglitz!