The Flatiron Building rose in New York's Madison Square in 1902, the year of Steichen's return. Like many other photographers of the day, Steichen was drawn to its imposing height and dynamic shape. With an eye attuned to modern painting, he turned the building into an abstract shape that seems to float in a field of diffused color. He used what was then a new printing technique, gum bichromate, to achieve his evocative, painterly effects. The technique involved brushing a light-sensitive solution containing colored pigment over platinum-prepared paper. The print of The Flatiron shown here is one of three in the Museum's collection. Each is a different color. Together they form Steichen's quintessential study of twilight in the city.

Note: When you visit the Museum, you may not see this particular work, although other wonderful photographs of the period will be on view. This is because prolonged exposure to light can be damaging to works on paper. Therefore, the installation in the galleries for photographs is rotated every few months.