Who was Alice Austen?
Alice Austen was a pioneer of her field. She was regarded as one of America’s first female photographers, as she began her career at age 10 in 1876. She was most notably known for her unique lens as an emerging lesbian photographer. At the time, her perspective offered a diverse outlook in the world of photography. She was brought up in a Victorian society, where she “broke boundaries of acceptable female behavior and social rules,” according to the Austen House Museum.
What types of things or sites did she photograph?
Alice Austen photographed anything from New York’s immigrant population, to the ins and the outs of Victorian life. Additionally, she photographed intimate relationships between Victorian women. She captured all different kinds of people around New York, including newsboys and high society women.
How and why do you think the subjects of those photographs are important in 2026?
The subjects of Austen’s photographs were a part of history. She created significant moments out of seemingly normal people. By capturing ordinary individuals carrying out daily activities around New York, she gave a voice to the working class. Additionally, she photographed immigrants, highlighting the inequalities that are still prevalent today. Lastly, she came out with grounding photos for the LGBTQ+ communities. Her work was a piece in evolving the conversation around the pride communities.
In the above image, Austen captured ordinary women at an egg stand in Manhattan. Today there are so many lives that overlooked in New York City. The fact that Austen took time to capture a mundane task, highlights this idea that there is so much beauty lost amongst the crowds of people.
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