Patti Smith, The Stoop, New York, NY, 1974

The grain on this print is gorgeous—it makes the brick stoop feel almost tactile, like you could reach out and touch that 1970s New York afternoon. I bought it for the back-cover history and ended up loving how the shadows frame her face. It’s already the first thing guests ask about.

I’ve been staring at this print for days now, and her calm, defiant pose on that stoop feels like it pulls the whole 1974 New York moment into the room. The black and white finish gives it a gritty honesty that matches the back cover of the American Artist book perfectly.

The brick stoop texture comes through so clearly in this print, it feels like you could sit down next to her. The way the light falls on her denim jacket gives the whole image a quiet, lived-in mood that matches the era perfectly. This one's going on my wall for sure.