ticketsMember | Make a donation

Self-Portrait

Edward J. Steichen American, born Luxembourg
1899
Not on view
Steichen made this self-portrait in Milwaukee, shortly before leaving for Europe to seek his fortune as a "painter-photographer." En route to Paris, he stopped by the New York Camera Club to show his work to Alfred Stieglitz, the reigning dean of art photography. That day, Stieglitz bought this photograph, along with two other platinum prints, for five dollars apiece, telling his young visitor, "I am robbing you at that."

In this eccentric self-portrait of the artist as a young dandy, Steichen seems poised at a threshhold, hovering half-in and half-out of the frame. Much like Whistler, Steichen used the portrait as a vehicle for exploring abstract elements of design, cleverly punctuating the white wall behind him with a tiny empty picture frame.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Self-Portrait
  • Artist: Edward J. Steichen (American (born Luxembourg), Bivange 1879–1973 West Redding, Connecticut)
  • Date: 1899
  • Medium: Platinum print
  • Dimensions: 19.8 x 9.2 cm. (7 13/16 x 3 5/8 in.)
  • Classification: Photographs
  • Credit Line: Alfred Stieglitz Collection, 1933
  • Object Number: 33.43.1
  • Rights and Reproduction: © 2025 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
  • Curatorial Department: Photographs

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
The Bitter Years 1935-1941
Edward J. Steichen
1962
[Self-Portrait], Edward J. Steichen American, born Luxembourg, Platinum print
[Self-Portrait]
Edward J. Steichen
1917
Princess Yusupov, Edward J. Steichen American, born Luxembourg, Gelatin silver print
Princess Yusupov
Edward J. Steichen
1924
["Sugar Lumps" Pattern Design for Stehli Silks], Edward J. Steichen American, born Luxembourg, Gelatin silver print
["Sugar Lumps" Pattern Design for Stehli Silks]
Edward J. Steichen
1927
Getting Set for the Big Strike on Kwajalein, U.S.S. Lexington, Edward J. Steichen American, born Luxembourg, Gelatin silver print
Getting Set for the Big Strike on Kwajalein, U.S.S. Lexington
Edward J. Steichen
1943

Related Content

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.