Signature Works offers iconic images that typify the careers of their makers, from Steve McCurry’s captivating Afghan Girl to Berenice Abbott’s sparkling New York at Night. Other highlights of the sale include works by well-known photographers such as Vik Muniz, Willy Ronis, Ormond Gigli, Bill Brandt, Imogen Cunningham, Neil Leifer, Mary Ellen Mark, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Helen Levitt, and more.
Signature Works is live for bidding through December 17, exclusively on artnet Auctions.
• Steve McCurry
Afghan Girl, 1984
Digital chromogenic print
21 x 14 in.
Est. 17,000–21,000 USD
This arresting image, made famous as the cover of National Geographic‘s June 1985 issue, depicts a young Afghan refugee living in Peshawar, Pakistan during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. The subject was known simply as the “Afghan Girl” until she was identified by name in 2002. Sharbat Gula was 12 years old when McCurry photographed her in the refugee camp.
• Scott Peterman
NY 14D, 2003
Archival pigment print
Edition of 2
64.5 x 49.5 in.
Est. 50,000–60,000 USD
Scott Peterman’s landscape series of photographs depict not only bustling metropolises like New York, Cairo, and Sao Paulo, but also isolated scenes of nature in Maine, New Hampshire, and the American Southwest. What unifies this body of work is the sense of silence that permeates each image, which Peterman captures here in the seemingly infinite urban sprawl of Manhattan. Referencing Berenice Abbott’s classic New York at Night (1932), Peterman shows the brightly lit buildings of New York—from the same angle of the Empire State Building as Abbott—in flushed tones of blue and grey, creating a new and stunning iconic image of the city.
• Mary Ellen Mark
Amanda and her Cousin Amy, Valdese, North Carolina, 1990
Gelatin silver print
Edition of 150
11 x 14 in.
Est. 4,000–6,000 USD
Mary Ellen Mark, famous for her poignant and often confrontational photojournalism, captured portraits of people living on the fringes of American society in the 20th century. Ranging from homeless youth to women in prison, Mark approached her work with empathy and sought to emphasize the individualism of her subjects, no matter their station in life. On assignment for Life in 1990, Mark took this striking photo of two young girls—one smoking and wearing makeup at the age of nine—which has become one of her most celebrated images.
• Burt Glinn
Andy Warhol with Edie Sedgwick and Chuck Wein, New York City, 1965
Gelatin silver print
22.37 x 15 in.
Est. 6,000–8,000 USD
Between the 1950s and 1970s, American photographer Burt Glinn created several comprehensive photo-essays covering American political rallies, revolutions in Cuba, and the social lives of the rich and famous. Glinn took this memorable photo of Pop artist Andy Warhol, his “It Girl” Edie Sedgwick, and her promoter Chuck Wein in 1965. The trio dominated the pop culture scene in the 1960s as icons of Warhol’s Factory, and are seen here posed playfully in and around a manhole on the streets of New York City.
• Vik Muniz
Romy Schneider (from the Diamond series), 2004
Chromogenic print mounted on aluminum
Edition of 10
39.28 x 31.5 in.
Est. 55,000–75,000 USD
Brazilian photographer Vik Muniz is known for his use of unexpected materials to create innovative representations of famous artworks, landmarks, and people. Here, Austrian actress Romy Schneider is immortalized in a careful arrangement of sparkling diamonds. The resulting work, which blurs the lines between sculpture and photography, is part of a series that also includes diamond-studded likenesses of Elizabeth Taylor and Jackie Kennedy.
• Henri Cartier-Bresson
Madrid, 1933
Gelatin silver print
9.4 x 13.75 in.
Est. 10,000–15,000 USD
World-renowned photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson is widely revered as the father of photojournalism. He traveled all over the globe while documenting some of the 20th century’s most significant events. Madrid is an excellent example from the artist’s oeuvre, and another print of this important work can be found in the permanent collection of The Museum of Modern Art, New York. Cartier-Bresson explained his approach to photography in these terms: “Your eye must see a composition or an expression that life itself offers you, and you must know with intuition when to click the camera.”
• Neil Leifer
Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston, St. Dominick’s arena, Lewiston, Maine, May 25, 1965
Chromogenic print
Edition of 350
19.25 x 19.25 in.
Est. 8,000–10,000 USD
Considered the definitive image of Muhammad Ali, this photograph was taken during his fight with Sonny Liston during the 1965 World Heavyweight Championship. This was the second and final time these two rivals confronted each other during the Championship, which was preceded by a flurry of publicity and anticipation. Leif captured this moment amidst the controversial ending of the fight, in which Ali delivered a final punch that many audience members did not see, and that remains contested to this day. This image went on to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated‘s “The Century’s Greatest Sports Photos” issue.
• Berenice Abbott
New York at Night, 1932
Gelatin silver print
13.75 x 10.5 in.
Est. 10,000–12,000 USD
This iconic image was taken on the shortest day of the year, when Abbott knew the sun would set before 5:00 p.m.—before most workers would leave their offices, and consequently turn off the lights. With her timing carefully calculated, Abbott recorded this dramatic juxtaposition of illuminated buildings against the darkened night sky. The present work is in excellent condition.
INFORMATION
Signature Works
December 8-17, 2015
artnet Auctions
