The Icons of Steichen

Show & Culture

In the 1990s, under the direction of Raymond Kirsch, Spuerkeess assembled a remarkable collection of around 200 photographs by Edward Steichen, covering different periods of his career from the late 19th century to the 1960s. The exhibition at Mierscher Theater focuses on his portraits of artists from the worlds of theater, dance, and cinema. Some iconic images of Hollywood stars and major figures from the 1920s and 1930s theater and dance scene demonstrate Steichen's distinctive talent. He favored studio work but also traveled to Hollywood to photograph cinema celebrities during film shoots and in between scenes. Steichen developed special affinities with many of the artists he photographed, such as Charlie Chaplin, Greta Garbo, Gloria Swanson, Lillian Gish, or Marlene Dietrich.