Essay from the year 2011 in the subject Art - History of Art, grade: 1,7, University of Essex (Art History), course: Art in the USA, language: English, abstract: The aim of this essay is to compare and contrast Alfred Stieglitzs engagement with modernism with that of the Ashcan artists. The first part concentrates on the personal background of the artists and introduces to their motivations and aims. The second part deals with the subjects of their works and the different technical approaches. The last part of the essay examines the differences between the two art forms, photography and painting. Of course, the question arises whether or not such a comparison is reasonable: photography and painting are two entirely different art forms. The essay will face this basic difficulty and will conclude in an answer on it.