E-Photo
Issue #172  5/22/2010
 
Mapplethorpe, Penn, Avedon and Leibovitz Highlight Dallas Art Photography Auction

Robert Mapplethorpe's delicate, lilting 1984 silver print, Calla Lily, is expected to bring between $30,000-$40,000 as one of the principal highlights of select offerings from 20th-century giants of photography in Heritage Auctions June 9th Signature® Fine Art Photography Auction, taking place at the company's Dallas Design District Annex, 1518 Slocum Street, Dallas, TX.

Irving Penn is widely regarded as one of America's most-brilliant and influential post-War photographers. A pair of photographs in this auction vividly displays his genius with a variety of subjects as well as his mastery of both color photography and black and white. Featured on the cover of the auction catalogue, his Three Tulips: Red Shine, Black Parrot, Gudoshnik, NY, 1967 dye-transfer, 1987, is estimated at $25,000-$35,000, while his evocative 1947 Gelatin silver print, Still Life (with mouse), is estimated at $15,000-$25,000.

One of the most intriguing, enigmatic and compelling photographs in the auction, and one that is sure to capture the attention of bidders, is Richard Avedon's virtuosic portrait, John Harrison, lumber salesman and his daughter Melissa, Lewisville, TX, (from "In the American West"), November 11, 1981, in which Avedon presents his subject with compassion, humor and amazing intensity. It is estimated at $25,000-$35,000, and is featured on the back cover of the catalogue.

There are few American photographs more famous than Alfred Eisenstaedt's V.J. Day, Times Square, New York City, 1945 (printed later), with the iconic image of a newly-returned sailor kissing a USO nurse, and a gelatin silver print of that celebrated image (estimate: $12,000-$15,000) anchors a grouping of six printed-later Eisenstaedt photographs in the auction, including Marilyn Monroe, 1953 (estimate: $7,000-$10,000), Ice Skating Waiter, St. Moritz, 1932 (Estimate: $6,000-$8,000) and Portrait of Marilyn Monroe, 1953 (Estimate: $5,000-$7,000).

Two stunning portraits by masters of the form also bear significant mention: Yousuf Karsh's doleful and revealing 1948 (printed later) silver print of Albert Einstein is estimated to bring between $7,000-$9,000, while Annie Leibovitz's Robert Redford, Malibu, CA 1980, captures the famed movie star in a blue-framed moment of repose in Los Angeles, while at the same time showing the touch that has made Leibovitz one of the most famous photographers of contemporary America. It is estimated at $4,000-$6,000.

Several groups of photographs by Helmut Newton, Michael Kenna, Horace Bristol, Paul Horst, Philippe Halsman, Bert Stern, Jacques Lowe, Garry Winogrand, George Hurrell, Hank O'Neal, and Harry Callahan in the sale should spark interest among their devotees.

There are also some key early images in the sale, including a fine Julia M. Cameron portrait of Poet Lauriat Alfred Tennyson, a nice Eugene Atget printing-out paper print of Rue de la Reynie, and a very good albumen print of Timothy H. O'Sullivan's Civil War masterwork, The Halt.

For information on and a catalogue of the June Signature Fine Art Photography Auction #5037, contact Heritage Auction Galleries, Design District Annex, 1518 Slocum Street, Dallas, TX; Ed Jaster at 1-800-872-6467, ext. 1288; email: EdJ@HA.com ; or Kelly Jones at 1-800-872-6467 ext. 1166. Online bidding is open from 5/12-6/8, until 10 pm. You can physically preview the auction on June 5, Saturday, from noon-5 pm (CT) and June 7-8, Monday-Tuesday from 10 am-5 pm at the company's location. The auction itself will be held on Wednesday, June 9 at 3 pm (CT). You can view the online catalogue and bid online at:

http://fineart.ha.com/common/auction/catalog.php?SaleNo=5037&type=C1A2-newsletter042210 .