Alfred Cheney Johnston, 1885-1971

By Romana Bardetti

Jean Ackerman, c.1929, photograph. Library of Congress, Washington D.C.

What is modesty and which women can achieve it? In the roaring ‘20s, a period depicted as one of sexual liberation and reform for women, the lines of modesty in America were disrupted by the rise of film and popularity of showgirls. This shift to modernity is astutely captured by the American photographer Alfred Cheney Johnston, and specifically his oeuvre of the Ziegfeld Follies. Johnston’s partnership with Florenz Ziegfeld, the American impresario and “mastermind behind the Follies,” began in 1917 and extended until Ziegfeld’s death in 1932. During this 15-year tenure, Johnston recorded the excitement and overall freedom that some women experienced, resulting in carefully curated images balancing seduction and modesty.

In his portrait of the Ziegfeld girl Jean Ackerman (ca. 1929), Johnston demonstrates this balance by depicting Ackerman semi-nude yet thoughtfully covering her left breast with her hand and accessories. This pictorial choice, along with her focused glance evoking a sense of severity, assists Johnston not only to photograph “a girl’s face and figure but […] her personality as well.” Here, the artist also demonstrates his mastery of light, aligning his techniques with those of Caravaggio using intense chiaroscuro, heightening the drama and spectacle of each artwork. Therefore, where one man could have overly sexualised his characters, Johnston seems to have pursued his work through a definitively artistic lens.

Johnston’s reliability as a portrait photographer also allowed him to expand his subject matter without cheapening his image. It has been recorded that, “at the height of [his] career, he sometimes charged […] the equivalent of $14,000 to $40,000” in today’s money, a testament to his talent and popularity during his lifetime. The artist’s versatile portfolio of “portraits of Follies showgirls, Broadway stars, and Hollywood legends, along with product advertisements” solidified his status as a pioneer of the modern appearance.

Virginia Biddle, 1927, photograph.

While most of his portraits were publicly advertised and sold, a collection of private images found posthumously in 1971 depicted more avant-garde poses than had previously revealed. It has been speculated whether these were “private commissions for Ziegfeld himself or simply Johnston’s personal exploration of artistic freedom”, with the latter appearing more likely, given that the images remained in Johnston’s possession rather than Ziegfeld’s. Ziegfeld’s misogyny, evident in his requirements a Follie be graced with “beauty of face, form, charm […]” contrasts starkly with Johnston’s perceived admiration of their personalities. Yet the afterlives of Johnston’s portraits is concerningly un-artistic, evidenced by the fact that Jean Ackerman’s image can now be purchased on Amazon under the title “Sexy Black and White Poster”, emphasising the ongoing, unwarranted objectification and sexualisation of women. 

Overall, Alfred Cheney Johnston’s legacy as an innovative portrait photographer is clear. His technical brilliance is only enhanced by the goals and attributes he championed through his work, affirming his place as a master of early twentieth-century photography. Despite just two attendees at his funeral in 1971, the artist’s work, still revered today, represents the evolving mindset towards twentieth-century women, complicating modesty in intriguing and powerful ways.

Bibliography

Holland, Daniel. “Alfred Cheney Johnston and His Exquisite Images of Ziegfeld Follies Showgirls.” Danny Dutch. Accessed 31 March 2025. https://www.dannydutch.com/post/alfred-cheney-johnston-and-his-exquisite-images-of-ziegfeld-follies-showgirls. 

Kenrick, John. “History of the Musical Stage, 1910-1919: Part II.” Musicals101.com. Copyright 1996, revised 2020. https://www.musicals101.com/1910bway3.htm#:~:text=Having%20established%20the%20popularity%20of,writing%20to%20design%20to%20casting. 

Tucker, Neely. “The Gorgeous Jazz Age Photography of Alfred Cheney Johnston.” Library of Congress Blogs, April 25, 2022. https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2022/04/the-gorgeous-jazz-age-photography-of-alfred-cheney-johnston/. 

“WACYYIO Ziegfeld Girl 1920s Sexy Black And White Poster.” Amazon. Accessed 31 March 2025. https://www.amazon.com/WACYYIO-Ziegfeld-Painting-20x30inch-Frame-style/dp/B0D22KJPRG?th=1.