Imogen Cunningham
American, 1883-1976
Magnolia Blossom, 1925
Photolithograph
Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona: Witkin Gallery Archive/Purchase
Visual Description: This is a black-and-white photolithographic print of a magnolia flower, measuring roughly 8 ½ inches tall and 11 inches wide. The flower is made up of several large white petals that curve outward and around a central cone made up of unfused carpels and stamens. The stamens make up the base and look like long, thin white strips pressed tightly together. At the top of the stamens emerge the carpels, which are thin, dark stalks whose tips curl into spirals.
Extended Label Text: From 1923 to 1925, Cunningham created a series of photographic studies of the magnolia flower that gradually became simpler as she focused more on its form. One of Cunningham’s most well-known and earliest botanical images, Magnolia Blossom presents the flower in extreme close-up with its delicate white petals filling a tight frame that is abstract in its effect. Sharply focused, the work captures intricate details of the magnolia blossom, such as its cone of stamens and pistils, with clarity and precision. The upper-right portion of the flower is softly illuminated, resulting in a play of light and shadow.
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Imogen Cunningham
Estadounidense, 1883-1976
Flor de Magnolia, 1925
Fotolitografía
Centro de Fotografía Creativa, Universidad de Arizona: Archivo/Compra de la Galería Witkin
Texto de Etiqueta Extendido: De 1923 a 1925, Cunningham creó una serie de estudios fotográficos de la flor de magnolia que gradualmente se volvieron más simples a medida que se centraba más en su forma. Una de las imágenes botánicas más antiguas y conocidas de Cunningham, Flor de Magnolia presenta la flor en primer plano con sus delicados pétalos blancos llenando un marco apretado que tiene un efecto abstracto. Nítidamente enfocada, la obra captura los complejos detalles de la flor de magnolia, como su cono de estambres y pistilos, con claridad y precisión. La parte superior derecha de la flor está suavemente iluminada, lo que da como resultado un juego de luces y sombras.
