Camera Work: A Photographic Quarterly (1903 (Heft 4))

PHOTO-SECESSION NOTES.
TURIN AWARDS.
THE KING’S prize and the certificates of award of the International
Exposition of Modern Decorative Art at Turin, which was held last
summer and autumn, have arrived and are now in the hands of the prize-
winners. In addition each exhibitor has received a commemorative plaque,
designed in such exceptional taste that even those opposed to the general
idea of medal-giving will take pleasure in possessing this souvenir of Turin.
THE AMERICAN COLLECTION FOR HAMBURG.
At the Jubilee Exhibition of the Hamburg Society, America will be
strongly represented, both in numbers and quality. The invitations-
this being solely an invitation exhibit—issued by the American Commis-
sioner Mr. Alfred Stieglitz, were accepted by almost all who were addressed.
Realizing that there were photographers of high standing outside of the
Photo-Secession, the commissioner deemed it in the interests of American
photography to invite such to contribute work to be included in the
collection arranged by the Photo-Secession. The exhibit is a particularly
strong one, consisting of the work of Abbott, Brigman, Bullock, Coburn,
Dyer, Eickemeyer, Eugene, Hess, Käsebier, Keiley, Potts, Post, Redfield,
Sears, Schütze, Stanbery, Steichen, Stieglitz, Stirling, J. F. Strauss, Weil,
White, Willard, Wilde, Wiggins — a total of about one hundred and fifty
frames.
THE WIESBADEN AWARDS.
The Wiesbaden prize-winners have been announced and, judging by the
catalogue, this portrait exhibition must have been one of high merit.
Among the silver-medal winners are found the names of Gertrude Käsebier,
Frank Eugene, and Mathilde Weil; Ema Spencer receiving a bronze
medal. The Hofmeisters, of Hamburg, and Dr. Spitzer, of Vienna, were
the recipients of gold medals (the highest honors), but the judges’official
report shows that they had arrived at a very astounding conclusion. Special
commendation, but no award, was meted out to Eduard J. Steichen, whose
exhibit the learned judges considered hors concours on the ground that it was
the work rather of an artist than of a photographer. A strange reason for
excluding from the competition Steichen's straight platinum prints and
straight gum prints — as were most of his pictures in this show — when the
Hofmeisters’and Spitzer’s manipulated gums were considered sufficiently
photographic. Indeed, we must consider that not only Steichen, but
photography as well, has achieved a great triumph by such artful conceal-
ment of the means, that a jury of the Wiesbaden caliber should be so
led astray. Wiesbaden’s was an exhibition devoted to art-photography
(Kunstphotographie), why, then, was the absurd distinction between photog-
rapher, painter (Maler), and the art-painter (Kunstmaler) insisted upon in
the catalogue ?

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