Photograph of Martha Graham in "Mirror Before Me" by Arnold Eagle, 1945

Access and use

Location of collection:
George Mason University
2400 Fenwick Library
Special Collections Research Center
Fenwick Library MS2FL
George Mason University
Fairfax, VA 22030
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Mieko Palazzo
Phone: (703) 993-2220
Fax: (703) 993-2669
Restrictions:

There are no access restrictions.

Terms of access:

The copyright and related rights status of this collection have not been evaluated (See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/)

Preferred citation:

Photograph of Martha Graham in "Mirror Before Me" by Arnold Eagle, C0486, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Summary

Extent:
.01 Linear Feet 1 photograph
Creator:
Eagle, Arnold
Abstract:
Black and white photograph of Martha Graham performing her work "Mirror Before Me" from 1945. The photo features Graham mid-dance in a black dress and posing with an abstract stage prop.
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Photograph of Martha Graham in "Mirror Before Me" by Arnold Eagle, C0486, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Background

Scope and content:

Black and white photograph of Martha Graham performing her work "Mirror Before Me" - also known as "Herodiade" - by Arnold Eagle, 1945. The photo features Graham mid-dance in a black dress and posing with an abstract stage prop. The back of the photo features Eagle's stamp, as well as a handwritten inscription that reads "Martha Graham in 'Mirror Before Me' 1945[.]"

Biographical / historical:

Born in 1894 in Pennsylvania, Martha Graham is considered a leading figure of American dance, particularly Modern Dance. Graham created her very own dance style - known as the Graham technique - and founded her dance company in 1926 in Manhattan, New York. Her pioneering style of dance focused on "the emotional activity of the dancers' body," which led to the creation of over 180 ballets and "a dance technique that has been compared to ballet in its scope and magnitude" (Marthagraham.org). Many of Graham's leading roles focused on great women figures of myth and history. Graham received wide acclaim for her dance and choreography over her lifetime and was granted many awards for her service to the arts. Graham danced well into her seventies, and choreographed into her nineties. She died in 1991 at the age of 96. The Martha Graham Dance Company still performs today. Arnold Eagle was a successful Hungarian-American dance and arts photographer. Born in 1909 in Hungary, Eagle immigrated with his parents to Brooklyn, New York in 1929. Eagle was known for documenting dance companies, particularly the Royal Danish Ballet. He also was a prolific social photographer, and was also known for his photography of New York City's impoverished Lower East Side Jewish community. Eagle passed away in 1992.

Acquisition information:
Purchased by Steve Gerber in March 2012.
Processing information:

Processing completed by Amanda Brent in July 2021. EAD markup completed by Amanda Brent in July 2021. This item was formerly part of the Performing Arts Manuscript Materials collection, C0215.

Arrangement:

This is a single item collection.

Physical location:
R 72, C 3, S 5
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Dance
Modern dance
Photography
Names:
Graham, Martha