Eleonora Duse

Artist Edward Steichen (American, born Luxembourg, 1879–1973)American, born Luxembourg, 1879–1973

CultureAmerican

Titles

Eleonora Duse

Date1904

MediumGum bichromate print

DimensionsImage: 13 11/16 × 10 7/8 in. (34.7 × 27.6 cm)
Sheet: 13 15/16 × 11 1/16 in. (35.4 × 28.1 cm)
Mount: 13 15/16 × 10 11/16 in. (35.4 × 27.1 cm)

Credit LineMuseum purchase funded by the Caroline Wiess Law Accessions Endowment

Object number2025.92

Current Location

The Nancy and Rich Kinder Building

Gallery 208

Exposé

Explore Further

Department

Photography

Object Type

PHOTOGRAPHS

DescriptionEdward Steichen’s wispy, ethereal portrait of the great Italian actress Eleonora Duse was taken shortly after his return from Paris to New York. Duse was widely considered the greatest actress of her time, a rival of Sarah Bernhardt, with an intense conviction in her performance and with an aversion to the limelight in her personal life. Duse first approached Alfred Stieglitz to make her portrait, but Stieglitz instead referred her to Steichen. Steiglitz was so taken by Duse’s performance in the play "Camille" that he declined her request, fearing a photograph would supplant the image in his memory.
ProvenanceAlfred Steiglitz; Leopold Stieglitz; Private collection, 1950s; [Sotheby's New York, October 9, 1991, Lot 99]; The Raymond E. Kassar Collection; [Christie's New York, Online Auction 23465, Lot 9, April 17, 2025]; purchased by MFAH, 2025.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks

Inscribed in pencil, verso, top right: [drawing of grid within circle]
Inscribed in pencil, verso, upper right: 101 51 U.F. [circled]
Inscribed in pencil, verso, lower right crossed out: J [?] 1 ½ 8894 no [illegible] // toned
Inscribed in pencil, verso, lower center: [graphite markings]
Inscribed in pencil, verso, bottom right: Steichen // A 1 ½ 2376 raw [illegible] // tone outs to photo [illegible] // [illegible white & grey wash [wash crossed out] over it // S[?] 10[?] 13 5/8

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

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