$75,000 flower study by one of the giants of modern photography leads highlights at Swann Auction Galleries’ February 25 sale.
As one of the founding fathers of modern photography, Edward Steichen’s influence is extraordinarily far-reaching.
No one featured more frequently in Camera Work, the ground-breaking magazine published by Alfred Stieglitz from 1903 to 1917.
Steichen’s work with the magazine Art et Décoration in 1911 prepared the ground for modern fashion photography, and he went on to work with Vogue and Vanity Fair as well as with the advertising agency J Walter Thompson, making him the highest paid photographer in the world at the time.
Later he was to become the Director of the Photography department at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, where his influence was even greater among the public.
Now Swann Auction Galleries will feature this nature study, above, by Steichen from 1939 in their Classic & Contemporary Photographs auction in New York on February 25. Titled White Lotus, the print is estimated at $50,000 to $75,000.
It heads a series of highlights, shown here, from some of the most important names in the history of photography, including Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau and Horst P. Horst.
Auction title: Classic & Contemporary Photographs
Auction date: Tuesday, February 25, at 1:30 pm (EST)
Preview dates: February 20-22, 12-5; February 23, 12-5; February 12, 10-12; February 25, 10-12
Social media: @swanngalleries
