Studley loans Stieglitz collection for month-long exhibit.

As part of the firm's corporate art program, commercial real estate services firm Studley, has loaned highlights from its 110-piece collection entitled Stieglitz and His Circle: The Art of The Photogravure to the National Arts Club in New York City for a nearly month-long exhibition in May.

According to Studley President Michael Colacino, loaning this collection to The National Arts Club is significant because 1) it marks the first time that Studley has exhibited a large sampling of its art collection in a public venue, a key initiative of the firm's new art program; and 2) it represents the return of Alfred Stieglitz and his colleagues from the Photo-Secession to The National Arts Club after nearly one hundred years.

"Throughout Studley's 52-year history, our firm has collected art to adorn its 19 offices across the country," explained Colacino.

"It's only recently that we have instituted a multi-pronged art program that involves developing access to the collection, by regularly loaning pieces to museums and institutions like the National Arts Club, supporting artists through patronage and supporting publications of artists and art in the collection."

"We are particularly excited to be sharing this collection with the public," noted Mary Solomon of Solomon Fine Art and the curator of Studley's art collection.

"There are several noteworthy pieces--Going to the Start, The Steerage, The Hand of Man, Spring Showers and Photograph--New York--that were key in transforming photography into a recognized art form."

The exhibition at the National Arts Club focuses on works by Stieglitz and Edward Steichen, the two men most responsible for introducing modern art to America, and Paul Strand. The pieces themselves draw from the three main publications with which Stieglitz was involved between 1897 and 1917--Picturesque Bits of New York and Other Studies, Camera Notes and Camera Work.

The exhibition is especially unique because it features five pairs of gravures, prints created with the photogravure process, by Stieglitz that he printed in his career and chose to reprint years later.

Photogravure is is a process that enables a photographer to drastically modify an image by working with the negative and the copper photogravure plates, selecting different inks, and recropping and retouching it. It also produces prints that have the tonal range of a photograph and the quality of a lithograph.

Studley shared pieces from its corporate collection this past winter, when the firm supported the publication of an artist book, My Place, featuring a photographic essay of New York City by Madoka Takagi.

"As a company, Studley is looking for ways to get involved in the community on many levels," noted Colacino. "Loaning our art collection to public venues is one way we can impact communities around the country or even the world."