This is a photograph of Edward Steichen in his studio with the bronze sculpture "Bird in Space" (tall sculpture pictured in middle ground center) which he purchased from Romanian artist Constantin Brancusi in France. Controversy arose when he tried to bring the sculpture back to The United States. Steichen thought because it was a work of art purchased from the original artist, he would not be charged import duty. The customs office didn't agree that it was a work of art and admitted it into the country under the category of "Kitchen Utensils and Hospital Supplies" and charged Steichen $600.
This sparked the case Constantin Brancusi v. United States.
This controversy forced people to reexamine what we consider art. The United States argued that the piece did not resemble a bird at all and resembled some sort of space rocket. Steichen testified "It is a work of art because it has form and balance; form is something that is achieved in the mind of the sculptor, and balance is in length, breadth, and thickness. Balance is the relationship of these forms to each other. The whole of it has harmonious lines; the base is very good in proportion to the top. It was proportion, that is, harmony."
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