Sotheby’s upcoming Classic Photographs auction features some of the biggest names in photography, plus some desirable discoveries. Fine 19th and early 20th century photographs by Julia Margaret Cameron, William Henry Fox Talbot, and Eugène Atget will be offered in this sale. Other major works from Dorothea Lange, Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, and Francesca Woodman are also featured.
Some of the most recognizable and popular works in this auction are those by landscape photographer Ansel Adams. Two stunning photos of America’s natural scenery are included: Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico, and The Grand Tetons and Snake River. The clarity and depth of Adams’ “pure photography” have defined his style. Another valuable print depicts a cotton sharecropper photographed by Walker Evans. An American photojournalist best known for his work with the Farm Security Administration, Evans spent his time documenting the effects of the Great Depression. His goal was to take pictures that were “literate, authoritative, transcendent.”
One of the more unique images at auction is Man Ray’s Rayograph. This photogram is signed and dated in pencil, annotated ‘Haut,’ and includes the photographer’s Parisian studio stamp on the reverse. Ray coined the term “rayographs” to personalize the exposure photography that produces photograms. View any of these lots and register to bid at Sotheby’s.
Explore the best of high fashion in the upcoming Luxury Fashion Unreserved Auction offered by Abington Auction Gallery. Rising to the top of this sale is a black leather briefcase from Louis Vuitton. The luxurious Black Epi leather briefcase is the first leather bag the brand introduced. An interesting lot in this auction is a Hermès Ex-Libris scarf patterned with the brand’s logo and trimmed with brown sable fur. The pattern on the scarf, designed by Alfred de Dreux in 1946, speaks to the brand’s influence and legacy over the years. The motif silk scarf adds a touch of history to its elegant style: it was the first-ever design by Hermès.
Fashion-conscious collectors will also appreciate an iconic pair of Christian Louboutin black ankle boots, complete with cherry red bottoms. The auction will also feature handbags, jewelry, accessories, and clothing from Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and more. Explore the full listings and register to bid online on Bidsquare.
The Auction of Photography, Art, Literature and Automovilism, offered by Morton Subastas, is a book sale from the library of Don Lorenzo Zambrano. Among the most valuable lots in this collection is a complete set of Marcel Proust’s In Search of Lost Time—also known as Remembrance of Things Past. This seven-volume work is considered his most significant and is well known for its length, influence on modern novelists. Its theme of “involuntary memory” is the idea that occurrences from everyday life trigger recollections of the past without continuous conscious effort. Proust began writing the multi-volume novel in 1913 and continued composing and editing it until his final illness and death in 1922.
Of interest to many is a signed copy of A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway. This limited edition was printed as the 294th of only 510 copies. Though the novel was based on Hemingway’s experiences serving in the Italian campaigns during the First World War, he himself was not directly involved in the battles he portrays, thus placing this highly-successful novel firmly in the realm of fiction.
Though Graham Greene once wrote of his book Babbling April that it was “a book of juvenilia which I prefer to forget,” the first edition on offer is nevertheless beloved and quite rare. Greene spent much of his early literary energy on poetry, which he published while still in school. When his poems were collected as Babbling April, the book received so many bad reviews that a disappointed Greene abandoned poetry and turned himself to fiction and essays. View all of these lots and register to bid on Bidsquare.
Born to an influential Mexican family, Francisco Pérez de Salazar aspired to create one of the country’s finest and most extensive art collections. Over the course of his life, he succeeded. He built The Great Perez de Salazar Collection, which will soon cross Morton Subastas’ auction block. Exceptional paintings, sculptures, furniture, and more will be available in this sale.
Oil on canvas depicting the adoration of the shepherds at the nativity is the leading lot, conserved remarkably well since the late 17th century. This painting and several other works from Cristobal de Villalpando, the prolific Mexican Baroque artist, are featured in this auction. A strong religious theme is present in the collection, including modernist Virgin Mary figures and tiled altarpieces from the 19th century.
Pérez de Salazar preserved more than fine art, however. Decorative articles and crafts from the turn of the century offer a rare glimpse into the culture of Mexico’s women, and an intricate sacristy bench in the Chippendale style shows the richness of the Puebla Catholic community. To view these items and many more, visit Bidsquare and register to bid.
Explore a variety of fine art and furniture from estates across the US in the upcoming Fine Art, Furniture & Decorative Art Auction offered by Gray’s Auctioneers. A limited-edition Van Cleef and Arpels Alhambra necklace is the highest valued item in the auction. Designed in 1968, the Alhambra necklace was made famous by Princess Grace of Monaco. The yellow gold piece is a symbol of luck, health, fortune, and true love.
On display are numerous vibrant paintings and sculptures by popular artists. An abstract screen-print titled “Southern Exposure” by Helen Frankenthaler is among the featured works. Frankenthaler’s works are known for their spontaneous style and have strongly contributed to the period of post-war American paintings. Highlights also include paintings and furniture from a prominent Vero Beach estate, a fine collection of Asian decorations, an extensive selection of fine furniture, and much more.
Born in New York City in 1923, Richard Avedon became one of the most revolutionary photographers of the 20th century. His sophisticated, refined, and minimalistic style has pushed the boundaries of contemporary photography. The works of Richard Avedon and similar photographers are profiled in the upcoming Photographs auction offered by Bonhams. One piece, a vulnerable portrait of Avedon’s father, represents a distinct style of portrait photography that is nothing short of iconic.
While the portrait of Avedon’s father stirs emotion, photos by Andres Serrano spark controversy. His work, “Piss Christ,” is truly one of a kind. The photograph depicts a plastic crucifix submerged in a glass of the artist’s urine. The auction’s highest valued item, “Piss Christ” joins spirituality with physicality in a peculiar and thought-provoking way. The sale also offers works from acclaimed artists such as Robert Frank, Ansel Adams, and Peter Lindbergh. Explore the full catalog on Bonhams.
The Primitives & Americana Auction offered by Bunch Auctions will include strong and quirky examples of American antique collectibles. The highlight of this auction is an 1809 needlework sampler by Kezia Burrough from the West-Town boarding school. Embroidered with a delicate and moving poem, this piece offers a careful view into a time gone by.
The auction also offers an early example of Pennsylvania Redware pottery, tracing the incorporation of German techniques into American sculpture. One item displaying this style shows a powerful lion standing over a bird, carefully carved and detailed with manganese highlights and vent holes throughout. A historical blue platter representing Pickett’s charge in the Civil War is a notable piece by Bennett Pottery. Adorned with the portrait medallions of General Robert E. Lee and others, the transferware platter is a true masterpiece from a pioneer of American pottery.
Period and country furniture, antique clocks, ornamentally textured stoneware, and more help to support this significant auction. Explore the full listings and register to bid online on Bunch Auctions.
Richard Hambleton started as a graffiti artist. From making street art to painting in his studio, he has come a long way as an artist. He is one of many intriguing artists being featured at Contemporary Art Online by Sotheby’s with the piece the “Shadowman”. Hambleton was always famous for the recurring image of a silhouetted figure (Shadowman) in his works. The item is acrylic on paperboard being presented at the highest estimation of $120,000.
Along with Hambleton, the curation of 219 features many contemporary artists such as Lee Bontecou and Helen Frankenthaler who represent the true spirit of abstractionism. A simple yet interesting lot in the collection is a pen on paper by David Hockney. As an English painter, draftsman, printmaker, stage designer, and photographer, Hockney is regarded as the most influential British artist of the 20th century. One can find more of such amazing artists whose work ranges from $200 – $120,000 at Sotheby’s.
“The camera should be used for a recording of life, for rendering the very substance and quintessence of the thing itself, whether it be polished steel or palpitating flesh,” stated Edward Weston. From portraits to still life, the works of Weston reveals his skill to transform an art form into a visual enigma. One of his finest pieces is available at Photographs Auction by Christie’s.
Other notable works being presented in this auction include photographs by Irving Penn. Penn was an influential American photographer whose radical approach to neutral composition, natural lighting, and form altered the history of the medium. He recreated the definition of beauty through his minimalistic works.
The appeal of the auction does not end here as the sale will be presenting works of revolutionary artists such as Edward S. Curtis- who left an enduring mark on the history of photography. Along with the creative photography of Imogen Cunningham, whose works emphasize a sensual and energetic pulse that runs through life. View more intriguing lots on Christie’s.
Whether it be nudes, floral still life, or self-portraits that play with light, shadow, and composition, Robert Mapplethorpe’s works were mostly concerned with Classical quality of beauty. Along with Mapplethorpe’s photograph, the auction organized by Phillips Auction discovers an array of photographs by prominent artists such as Cindy Sherman, Robert Frank, and Helmut Newton.
Work by Robert Frank displays a cutting perspective on American culture, disregarding traditional techniques. His nonchalant attitude towards traditionalism, at first, shocked many viewers. These elements of his photography started becoming a hallmark in the world of photography. Even today, Frank’s work continues to shape contemporary photography. Another photographer whose creativity and skill stands out among the collection is Cindy Sherman. For decades, Cindy Sherman has experimented with the portrayal of identity, playing with the visual and cultural codes of art. Find more intriguing lots and register to bid online on Phillips Auction.
