What was the Second Philadelphia Photographic Salon?

The Second Philadelphia Photographic Salon, held in 1899, was a significant exhibition that showcased the work of Edward Steichen. It served as a key venue for the photography fine-arts movement, which sought to gain public acceptance of photography as a legitimate form of fine art by emulating the mood and manner of traditional media like paintings and prints.1

Following his participation in this salon, Steichen became a regular exhibitor and a prominent figure within the movement, which was characterized by the Pictorialism approach. This exhibition helped establish his early reputation before he later co-founded the Photo-Secession with Alfred Stieglitz in 1902.12