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Edward Steichen and the Garden: A Retrospective at George Eastman Museum

exhibition · 2026-08-08

The George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York, is showcasing 'Edward Steichen and the Garden,' an exhibition that delves into the photographer's enduring love for plants. Running from March 27 to September 6, 2026, the exhibit features Steichen's connection to horticulture through a variety of photographs, paintings, archival items, and objects from the museum's own collection, alongside loans from institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. In 1938, Steichen, also a painter and plant breeder, shut down his commercial photography studio to dedicate himself to flower cultivation, particularly delphiniums. A portrait taken by his wife, Dana, that year shows him pollinating a delphinium. The exhibition illustrates how Steichen approached floral photography with the same sensitivity as portraiture, showcasing works such as 'Bouquet of Flowers' (1939) and 'Delphiniums' (1940).

Key facts

  • Exhibition 'Edward Steichen and the Garden' runs from March 27 to September 6, 2026, at the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York.
  • The exhibition includes photographs, paintings, archival materials, and objects from the museum's collection and loans from major institutions.
  • Loans come from the Museum of Modern Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Phillips Collection, Block Museum of Art, Art Bridges, and Sheldon Museum of Art.
  • Steichen closed his commercial photography studio in 1938 to focus on flower cultivation and propagation.
  • His wife, Dana Steichen, photographed him pollinating a delphinium in 1938.
  • Steichen photographed flowers with a portraiture-like sensitivity, emphasizing structure, light, and form.
  • Notable works include 'Bouquet of flowers' (1939), 'Delphiniums' (1940), and 'Heavy Roses, Voulangis, France' (1914).
  • The exhibition is on view through September 6, 2026.

Entities

Artists

  • Edward Steichen
  • Dana Steichen

Institutions

  • George Eastman Museum
  • Museum of Modern Art
  • Philadelphia Museum of Art
  • Phillips Collection
  • Block Museum of Art
  • Art Bridges
  • Sheldon Museum of Art

Locations

  • Rochester
  • New York
  • United States
  • Voulangis
  • France

Sources