Johan Hagemeyer and His Circle of Friends

Johan Hagemeyer (1884-1962) was born in Amsterdam, Holland, and emigrated to the United States in the early 1900s. While Hagemeyer began as a fruit farmer, a life-changing meeting with Alfred Stieglitz in 1916 inspired him to pursue a career in photography. He would later become known for his striking portraits of nationally and internationally renowned cultural figures, richly toned landscapes, iconic views of San Francisco, and dramatic cloud studies. After meeting Stieglitz, Hagemeyer moved to Pasadena, California, and developed close relationships with many West Coast photographers, such as Imogen Cunningham, Tina Modotti, and Edward Weston—with whom he developed a professional relationship and an intense friendship.

He soon discovered the intellectual and creative community of Carmel-by-the-Sea and moved there in 1922. Hagemeyer went on to photograph many artists, musicians, and literary figures, such as Albert Einstein, Henry Miller, Elsa Naess, Salvador Dali, and Arthur Miller. This exhibition presents vintage photographs by Hagemeyer and his friends Imogen Cunningham, Ansel Adams, Anne Brigman, and Edward Weston.