Britannica
Sources used in this answer
What was the Little Galleries of the Photo-Secession known as 291?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Edward Steichen
Edward Steichen, 1960.
The Little Galleries of the Photo-Secession, popularly known as "291" after its address at 291 Fifth Avenue in New York City, was an influential gallery opened by Alfred Stieglitz in 1905 with the assistance of Edward Steichen.12
The gallery was known for the following:
- Promoting Modern Art: It served as a vital venue for exhibiting the work of Photo-Secession photographers, as well as pioneering presentations of European Modernist painters and sculptors in America, including Auguste Rodin, Henri Matisse, and Paul Cézanne.12
- Steichen’s Role: Edward Steichen acted as the gallery’s "French connection," utilizing his European contacts to arrange these significant exhibitions.2
- Evolution of Focus: While initially focused on photography, the gallery increasingly shifted its attention toward painting as Stieglitz’s artistic philosophy evolved toward "straight" photography and away from the manipulated, painterly effects of Pictorialism.13
The gallery remained a central hub for the avant-garde until its closure in 1917.12