Winter, Fifth Avenue

photograph by Stieglitz

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July 16, 2026

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Winter, Fifth Avenue is a photograph taken by Alfred Stieglitz in 1892. It is considered an exception among his early works, which often leaned towards sentimental or conventional Pictorialist styles. This particular photograph, along with The Terminal, stands out as an answer to difficult technical challenges that Stieglitz enjoyed, often prioritizing them over purely artistic impulses.1

The Photo-Secession, a group Stieglitz founded in 1902, aimed to promote photography as an art form. While initially focused on Pictorialism, the movement evolved, with Stieglitz and others moving towards a "straight" photographic style that valued the unique qualities of the medium rather than imitating painting. Stieglitz's galleries, particularly the famous "291" on Fifth Avenue, showcased both photography and avant-garde art, significantly influencing the American art scene.21

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Alfred Stieglitz
The Photo-Secession
…life and place, such as Winter, Fifth Avenue or The Terminal (both 1892)—are almost always answers to difficult technical problems, which Stieglitz loved, and which often trumped his impulses to make photographs that were artistically correct.
Read More
…life and place, such as Winter, Fifth Avenue or The Terminal (both 1892)—are almost always answers to difficult technical problems, which Stieglitz loved, and which often trumped his impulses to make photographs that were artistically correct.
Read More