Imogen Cunningham

Imogen Cunningham, 1907. Credited to Edward Curtis Studio, where Cunningham worked after graduating from the University of Washington, via Wikipedia.

Who was Imogen Cunningham?

Imogen Cunningham, born on April 12, 1883, and passed away on June 23, 1976, was an acclaimed American photographer. She gained recognition for her exceptional skills in capturing botanical scenes, artistic nudes, and industrial landscapes. Cunningham was an esteemed member of Group f/64, a renowned collective of photographers based in California. This group was known for its unwavering commitment to portraying subjects with utmost clarity and precision.

A Rolleiflex camera owned by Imogen Cunningham, on display at the Oakland Museum of California. Photo credits: Jim Heaphy, via Wikipedia.

Life (1883 to 1907)

Imogen Cunningham was born in Portland, Oregon to Isaac Burns Cunningham and Susan Elizabeth Cunningham (née Johnson). Although her parents hailed from Missouri, their ancestral roots traced back to Virginia. Cunningham was the fifth child among her nine siblings. Despite art not being a part of the conventional school curriculum, she took art lessons during weekends and vacations in her childhood.

She grew up in Seattle, Washington and attended the Denny School located at 5th and Battery Streets. At the age of eighteen in 1901, Cunningham purchased her first camera, a 4x5 inch view camera, through a mail order from the American School of Art in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

In 1903, she enrolled in the University of Washington, where she became one of the founding members of the Washington Alpha chapter of Pi Beta Phi fraternity for Women. However, it wasn't until 1906, while studying at the University of Washington in Seattle, that she rediscovered her passion for photography after encountering the works of Gertrude Käsebier. Her initial photographs in 1906 consisted of portraits taken using a 4-by-5-inch-format camera. She delved deeper into the technical aspects of photography, studying its chemistry with the guidance of her professor, Horace Byers. To support her education, she photographed plants for the botany department.

In 1907, Cunningham graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in chemistry. Her thesis focused on "Modern Processes of Photography." During her time at the university, she held the position of class vice-president, actively participated in clubs such as the German Club and Chemistry Club, and contributed to the yearbook staff.

Life (1915 to 1976)

Imogen Cunningham entered into matrimony with Roi Partridge, an etching artist, printmaker, and teacher, on February 11, 1915. Their union blessed them with three sons: Gryffyd Partridge and twins Rondal Partridge and Padraic Partridge. However, the marriage came to an end in 1934, leading to their divorce. Rondal Partridge's daughter, Meg Partridge, took on the responsibility of cataloging Cunningham's extensive body of work.

During the 1940s, Cunningham resided in Oakland, California, while maintaining studios in various locations within San Francisco.

Cunningham's passion for photography endured until shortly before her passing at the age of 93 on June 23, 1976, in San Francisco, California. Her dedication to her craft remained unwavering until the very end.

It is worth noting that Imogen Cunningham received her name from the character Imogen in William Shakespeare's play "Cymbeline." This choice of name highlights the significance of literature in shaping her identity.

Dream (1910) by Cunningham. Photo credits: Imogen Cunningham - Wilson's Photographic Magazine, Volume 51, 1914 The Photographic journal of America, 1920, via Wikipedia.

First part of photographic career

Upon completing her college education in 1907, Cunningham secured a position at Edward S. Curtis's photography studio in Seattle. This opportunity provided her with practical experience in the portrait industry and expanded her knowledge of photography. She joined Curtis in his monumental project, documenting American Indian tribes for the comprehensive book series titled The North American Indian, which spanned twenty volumes and was published from 1907 to 1930. Working alongside Curtis, Cunningham mastered the technique of platinum printing and developed a deep fascination with the process.

In 1909, Cunningham received the Pi Beta Phi Graduate Fellowship, which enabled her to further her studies at the Technische Hochschule (Technical University) in Dresden, Germany. She worked under the guidance of Professor Robert Luther, the founder of the university's Institut für Photographie. During her time in Dresden, Cunningham's primary focus was on assisting the photographic chemistry department in finding more cost-effective alternatives to the expensive and scarce platinum used in printing. In May 1910, she completed a paper titled "About the direct development of platinum paper for brown tones," which outlined her innovative approach to increasing printing speed, enhancing highlight tones' clarity, and producing sepia tones.

While returning to Seattle, Cunningham met renowned photographers such as Alvin Langdon Coburn in London and Alfred Stieglitz and Gertrude Käsebier in New York. Back in Seattle, she established her own studio and gained recognition for her portraiture and pictorial work. Most of her studio sessions took place in her clients' homes, her living room, or the surrounding woods near her cottage. At one point, she and her husband, Roi Partridge, an artist and printmaker, ventured to the Alpine wildflower fields of Mount Rainier, where Roi posed nude as a mystical woodland faun. Cunningham's images were exhibited by the Seattle Fine Arts Society and later published in the local newspaper, the Town Crier, which caused a scandal due to a woman photographing a male nude. Despite the criticism, Cunningham remained unaffected, stating that it had no impact on her business or reputation.

Cunningham also gained recognition for her self-portraits, which showcased her sense of humor and demonstrated her strategic approach to her career. She actively published her work in magazines and newspapers, displaying not only her keen eye but also her excellent editing skills in selecting her best pieces. Her reputation grew, and in 1913, her photographs were exhibited at the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences. The following year, her portraits were showcased at An International Exhibition of Pictorial Photography in New York, and Wilson's Photographic Magazine published a portfolio of her work.

In 1915, Cunningham married Roi Partridge, and over the next five years, she balanced her photography career with raising their three children: Gryffyd, Rondal (who also became a photographer), and Padraic.

In 1917, the Partridge family relocated to San Francisco, and by 1920, they settled on the Mills College campus in Oakland, where Roi Partridge taught art.

During this time, Cunningham honed her artistic style, developing a heightened appreciation for patterns and intricate details. She began to delve deeper into botanical photography, focusing particularly on flowers. Between 1923 and 1925, she conducted an extensive study of the magnolia flower, capturing its essence through her lens. In 1933, Cunningham established the California Horticultural Society, showcasing her incredibly detailed and clear images that became invaluable to horticulturalists and scientists, who utilized them in their research.

In the latter part of the 1920s, Cunningham shifted her attention to industrial landscapes, embarking on several series capturing the essence of Los Angeles and Oakland's industrial scenes.

In 1929, renowned photographer Edward Weston recognized Cunningham's talent and nominated ten of her photographs, consisting of botanical, industrial, and nude subjects, for inclusion in the prestigious "Film und Foto" exhibition. Among these was her celebrated piece titled "Two Callas," which made its debut in the exhibition.

Cunningham experienced another artistic shift, this time focusing her lens on the human form, with a particular fascination for hands. She became captivated by the hands of artists and musicians, which sparked her interest. This fascination led to her employment by Vanity Fair magazine, where she photographed celebrities in their natural state, without makeup, revealing their true selves.

As Cunningham turned away from pictorialism and toward sharp-focus photography, she joined photographers like Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, and Willard Van Dyke who were also interested in this style. Group f/64 was made up of these people who wanted to promote a more meaningful and relevant type of photography. Instead of soft and pictorial photography, they wanted to promote "pure or straight photography." They wanted to spread simple, easy-to-understand photography techniques that used the smallest focal apertures (f/64 was the smallest) to make pictures with a lot of fine detail.

In 1932, Cunningham received an invitation from Vanity Fair to contribute her talent in New York. She was commissioned to create portraits of notable figures in the arts who were often described as "ugly men." Despite this unconventional request, she skillfully captured the unique essence of these individuals. Notably, her photographs highlighted the distinctive features of actors Wallace Beery and Spencer Tracy.

Her collaboration with Vanity Fair opened doors for further opportunities, leading her to work with other renowned magazines such as Sunset and various publications. During this period, Cunningham had the privilege of photographing notable personalities including Gertrude Stein, Minor White, James Broughton, Martha Graham, August Sander, Man Ray, and Theodore Roethke. Her portraits showcased her ability to capture the essence and character of each subject, creating compelling and captivating images.

Cunningham continued her work with Vanity Fair until the publication ceased in 1936, leaving behind a remarkable collection of portraits that solidified her reputation as a skilled and perceptive photographer.

Second part of photographic career

During the 1940s, Imogen Cunningham ventured into documentary street photography, pursuing it as a personal project while continuing to support herself through commercial and studio photography endeavors. However, her passion for capturing candid moments in the streets remained a significant focus.

In 1945, renowned photographer Ansel Adams extended an invitation to Cunningham to join the faculty of the art photography department at the California School of Fine Arts. Alongside her, esteemed photographers Dorothea Lange and Minor White also became part of the faculty. This collective brought together a wealth of talent and expertise in the field.

In 1964, Cunningham crossed paths with photographer Judy Dater during a workshop centered on the life and work of Edward Weston, held at the Big Sur Hot Springs in California, which later became the Esalen Institute. Dater found immense inspiration in Cunningham's life and artistic contributions. The encounter led to a notable photograph titled "Imogen and Twinka at Yosemite," where an elderly Cunningham encounters nude model Twinka Thiebaud behind a tree in Yosemite National Park. This image captured their shared interest in portraiture and marked the beginning of a lasting friendship between the two photographers. They remained close until Cunningham's passing in 1976.

Three years later, Dater published a book titled "Imogen Cunningham: A Portrait." The book featured interviews with Cunningham's contemporaries, friends, and family, along with photographs by both Dater and Cunningham. It provided valuable insights into Cunningham's life and artistic journey.

In 1973, Cunningham's work was showcased at the Rencontres d'Arles photography festival in France as part of a group exhibition titled "Trois photographes américaines" (Three American Photographers), which also included Linda Connor and Judy Dater herself. The exhibition served as a platform to celebrate the unique contributions of these talented photographers to the art world.