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Alvin Langdon CoburAmerican and English master of artistic photography.
Date of Birth: 11.07.1882
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Alvin Langdon Coburn: A Master of Pictorial Photography
- Early Career and Education
- Pictorialism and Portraiture
- Vorticism and Abstraction
- Portraits and Legacy
Alvin Langdon Coburn: A Master of Pictorial Photography
Alvin Langdon Coburn was born in Boston on June 11, 1882, to a middle-class family. His passion for photography began at a young age, with his first exhibition at the age of 15.
Early Career and Education
In 1899, Coburn exhibited his work at the New School of American Pictorial Photography and the Linked Ring exhibition. He spent time in Paris in 1901, studying with Edward Steichen and Robert Demachy. Upon his return, he opened a studio in New York in 1902 and joined the Photo-Secession group founded by Alfred Stieglitz.
Pictorialism and Portraiture
Coburn's photographs gained recognition in 1904, when they were featured in Stieglitz's magazine "Camera Work." He traveled extensively, capturing cityscapes, landscapes, and portraits of notable figures such as George Bernard Shaw and Auguste Rodin.
Vorticism and Abstraction
In 1912, Coburn moved to England and became involved with the Vorticists, an avant-garde art movement. This influence led him to create abstract photographs known as "Vortos." He also experimented with photogravures, a form of pictorialism.
Portraits and Legacy
Despite his avant-garde work, Coburn also gained fame for his portraits of celebrities, which he published in two volumes titled "Men of Mark" in 1913 and 1922. His extensive collection of photographs is currently housed at the George Eastman House in New York.
