Surrealism according to Man Ray

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

In Paris since 1921, Man Ray went immediately to be close to the Surrealist group. Great experimenter of the photographic image, he became the best and the most interesting of surrealist photographers.

I think knowning photography quite well, but Man Ray has yet managed to deceive me! In my tracking of last weekend, I announced that Sotheby's would sell a negative: a portrait of Jacqueline Goddard, in New York on October 14.

This famous photo shows the young woman with long hair fully straight on her head, in a dynamic composition.

I waited the catalog, I did! At number 21, I read that this picture is actually a false negative, printed in black and white from an Autochrome. Of course, the sitting is also wrong, the model was taken with her head down. Man Ray uses the negative effect in the same way he used with solarization, to enhance the effects and contrasts. That is here particularly successful with regard to hair, eyes and mouth.

In 1934, Man Ray edited this picture in his first book "Man Ray: Photographs, 1920-1934, Paris" published in the United States. Five original prints are known, including two in private collections. This photograph is in 24 x 30 size.

250 K$ for this icon? In my opinion, it will more expensive.

[Pierre Tavlitzki]

Our photo by Man Ray was sold within its estimate range : 375 K$ including fees. The high estimate was 350 K$ hammer price.