Brigman, Anne. Anne Brigman’s Songs: Her Life, Her Photographs, Her Poems by James Rhem.

Itasca, 2024.  First edition. Hardcover, fine with fine protected dust jacket. New condition. 376 pages.  Includes biography of Brigman, a member of the Photo Secession, by photo historian James Rhem, a reprint of her 1949 book of poems and photographs, Songs of a Pagan, and her unpublished book, Wild Flute Songs. See photo of table of contents that accompanies this listing.  Issued at $80.  Summary:

Anne Brigman’s Songs is a biographical and critical study of the American photographer, poet, and artist Anne Brigman (1869–1950). The book traces her life from a conventional middle-class marriage to her transformation into a pioneering creative figure whose work in photography, poetry, and self-expression broke new ground for women in the early 20th century. It begins with the pivotal moment in 1902 when Brigman encountered a photography exhibition that ignited her artistic ambition and led her to pursue a life devoted to art. She became known internationally for her bold pictorialist photographs, especially images of nude female figures in the Sierra Nevada wilderness, which gained attention through influential artistic circles including Alfred Stieglitz’s New York scene. In 1910 Brigman left her traditional life behind to focus entirely on her art. Over the years she continually reinvented herself — embracing photography, literature, and later poetry — often intertwining her images and verse to express her spiritual and creative vision. In her later years she published poetry alongside her photographs, reflecting the deep connection between her visual art and written word. Rhem’s study also for the first time documents Brigman’s romantic relationships with other women, exploring how her sexuality influenced both her photography and her poems. The narrative positions Brigman not just as a key figure of pictorial photography but as a trailblazer of women’s artistic freedom, whose life and work resonate with themes of independence, self-expression, and creative courage.