On November 14, during Paris Photo, a major sale of 19th- and 20th-century photographs will be held, followed by the dispersal of numerous prints by Léon Herschtritt (1936-2020) and the collection he had assembled.
A humanist photographer alongside Robert Doisneau, Édouard Boubat, Willy Ronis, Sabine Weiss, and Henri Cartier-Bresson, Léon Herschtritt was able to bear witness to his era by focusing on the human person, their dignity, and their relationship to the world. Through his images taken in Algeria, Africa, and Parisian life, he offers a deeply human perspective: childhood, women, everyday life, always marked by his own sensitivity.
“In photography, you can’t cheat; when I see ten photos by an artist, I know who they are. What matters for a photographer is what they have in their heart,” he said. His images have become iconic, notably the one of two people on the roof of a car in front of the Berlin Wall, taken in 1961 when he was only 25 years old.
This auction will feature large-format prints, exhibition prints made by Philippe Salaün, one of the greatest printers of his time. His portraits of personalities such as Serge Gainsbourg, Catherine Deneuve, and Salvador Dalí reflect his unique sensibility.
Léon Herschtritt left behind a sensitive body of work that restores faith in humanity. His photography conveys a love for others, whether through women or the delicacy of his portraits of couples, filled with sensuality bordering on eroticism. When asked, “What makes a good photo?”, he replied: “A good photo speaks to everyone, it crosses borders. A good photo tells a story.”
Beyond his work, he was also an antique dealer, gallery owner, and photography collector. His collection, offered at this sale, traces the history of photography: from early photographers such as Gustave Le Gray, Alphonse Giroux, Édouard Baldus, Auguste Salzmann, Vallou de Villeneuve, and Jean-Baptiste Frénet, to modern artists such as Lucien Hervé, Man Ray, André Kertész, and Sherril Schell.
His connections with humanist photographers enabled him to acquire iconic images of the highest quality directly from Robert Doisneau, Édouard Boubat, Willy Ronis, Sabine Weiss, Izis, and Henri Cartier-Bresson, most of which were sent to him or signed.
For the first time, his entire body of work and collection will be presented at public auction, paying tribute to one of the great humanist photographers of the 20th century.
Friday, November 14, 2025
Dr. Elisabeth Schneider-Henn Collection & others at 11:00 a.m.: lots 1 to 150
Léon Herschtritt Collection at 2:30 p.m.: lots 151 to 510
Public exhibition:
Wednesday, November 12, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Thursday, November 13, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
SALLE VV, 3 rue Rossini 75009 Paris
Information
Millon
Salle VV, 3 rue Rossini, 75009 Paris
November 14, 2025 to November 14, 2025
