A Utopia of Circulation: The International Society of Pictorial Photographers

Abstract

This article, examining the circulation of prints, letters and ideas in the context of Pictorialism, deals with an ambitious but long-forgotten federation, the International Society of Pictorial Photographers. Founded in 1905 but almost immediately abandoned, this utopian project to simplify the organisation of international exhibitions did not alter the future of pictorial photography as it was intended to do. Studying its origins, creation and rules, and revealing the causes of its failure, this article sheds light on the politics of Pictorialism and examines one of its most ambivalent characteristics, namely the defence of national interests within a movement relying mostly on international collaboration. It also shows the central role played by Robert Demachy (1859–1936) and Alfred Stieglitz (1864–1946) in the matter. Despite its disappointing outcome, this story is that of a remarkable exchange of opinions, through sustained correspondence and texts, dealing mainly with the circulation of prints, among members of a global photographic network.