Town | Country

To the oft-asked question, “What camera or lens do you use?” I can only reply “I couldn’t tell to save my soul—it is enough for me to know that I have something that will make pictures and that it is in working order.”, a passionate artist, Edward S. Curtis said. Today we are left with his legacy. Curtis’ photograph, Moonrise is among the most notable items in the upcoming Town | Country Auction, presented by Bonhams. 

Every artist tends to portray narratives, shapes, and perspectives which will live on to shape others. Curtis’s work has been able to leave a mark long after the original work was made. In many ways, Curtis’ work framed what he believed was more “real” or “authentic” than modern life. Other photographers whose works reveal the beauty in the form of pictures include Richard Misrach’s View from My Front Porch. In the 1970s, Misrach helped pioneer the revival of color photography that is in practice today.  

 Similarly, a work by William Christenberry is highlighted in the auction. His vibrant images of the vernacular architecture were all made in Hale County, Alabama, where Christenberry was born and raised. The featured frame is a remarkable piece among the lots as it gives away a strong sense of evocation of a rural world that is fading into history. View more of intriguing lots on Bonhams.