The pictorialist art movement in photography reached its peak in the 19th century. Artists such as Oscar Gustave Rejlander, Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen, Gertrude Käsebier, and Julia Margaret Cameron were influential figures who pushed the boundaries of photography. They sought to have the medium recognized not only for its documentary capabilities but also for its artistic vision. Over time, pictorialism was practiced by a limited number of artists, and it was even rarer to see this approach in the realms of fashion and commercial photography, which developed its own distinct visual language. Amidst such turning trends, one individual defied the odds to become the first woman photographer to work with Vogue magazine: Sheila Metzner. And now, a new photography exhibition is here for you to see some of her stellar works.
The lead image and those within the article are by Sheila Metzner, courtesy of the artist and Staley-Wise Gallery. Used with permission.
Who is Sheila Metzner?
Metzner did not begin her career as a photographer but rather as an art director. During that period, she worked with famed photographers such as Richard Avedon, Burt Stern, Bob Richardson, Melvin Sokolsky, Joel Meyerowitz, Garry Winogrand, Joel Peter Witkin, Robert Frank, Irving Penn, Bruce Davidson, Danny Lyon, and Diane Arbus. However, after leaving her job and giving birth to her son, Sheila Metzner decided she wanted to pursue photography. With the help of photographer Aaron Rose, her mentor, Metzner chronicled her life, family, and friends, and two prints from her photographic oeuvre were purchased by John Szarkowski, the curator who introduced Saul Leiter to the world.
Nothing in my work developed spontaneously. I always had a plan. These photographs are documents. I often did drawings, prior to building the photograph. I had to search, sometimes beg, for objects to go with the models.
Sheila Metzner
From there on, there was no turning back for the photographer. Her painterly aesthetic, which reminds one of several pictorialist photographers, began to garner international acclaim. Today, her works are collected in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Museum of Modern Art, The International Center of Photography, The Museum of Fine Arts
in Houston, The Chrysler Museum, The Art Institute of Chicago, The J. Paul Getty Museum, and The Brooklyn Museum.
What’s The Exhibition About?
The exhibition celebrates Metzner’s works, which were created over four decades. The images—ranging from fashion to portraiture to still lifes and landscapes—are a portal to the past. The photographs are painterly, but using distinct, vivid colors and textures only adds meaningful layers to the story. Each photograph represents not only Metzner’s original vision but is also a silent tribute to life. Metzner’s photographs also combine Mannerism (where her models often depict grace) and Modernism, creating a look that’s tied to fashion and decorative arts.
The mystery of photography and the thing that sets it apart from any other form of art is actually the title of my book, which I borrowed from Julia Margaret Cameron – it’s from life. You’re capturing life. A painter or a sculptor can find references or use their imagination, but in order to take a photograph, the thing, whatever it is, has to be right there in front of you.
Sheila Metzner
The showcase will include her already exhibited images and photographs from a new retrospective at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. The images will be displayed as Fresson prints, a patented French process that provides ample tonalities and textures, which have been critical for the photographer’s work. If you enjoy soft aesthetics with a tinge of beauty and drama, you must attend the show. Perhaps you will find the inspiration you have been looking for.
Sheila Metzner’s exhibition will be on display at the Staley-Wise Gallery until February 8. For more information, visit their website.