Gertrude Käsebier (1852-1934)

Originally a portrait painter, Käsebier found her true artistic passion in photography at age 37. As a mother of 3, she drew on her personal life to create respectful and sensitive visuals of motherhood, family, and Native Americans.

After catching the eye of notable art dealer and photographer, Alfred Stieglitz, the pair founded a group known as the "Photo-Secession" in 1902. The group sought to promote photography as a legitimate art form through their regular exhibits and magazine.

In 1903, Stieglitz featured Käsebier's work in the inaugural issue of the incredibly influential Camera Work journal, which helped her garner recognition for her work.

in 1910, Käsebier helped establish the Women's Professional Photographers' Association of America. Afterwards she quickly became known for her promotion of the art of photography as a profession for women.

Käsebier would inspire many other women to take up photography as a profession. One such woman was Imogen Cunningham, who would become a well regarded photographer in her own right.

In 1899, Käsebier's sold one of her photographs, "The Manger," for $100. At that time, this was the highest price ever paid for a work of photography, a record that she then held for 50 years!

That same year, John Wanamaker, a department store owner who had recently acquired the Everybody's Magazine, named Gertrude as both head of artistic photography and magazine photography. This was a significant achievement for that time, and remains so even today.

After 1900, following the birth of her grandchildren, Gertude's own family became a main topic of her work.

In addition to being known for her intimate portraits of women and Native Americans, she is also recognized for her emotive photographs of children.