MAN RAY (1890–1976)
Rayograph, 1928 ($150,000-250,000)
More than 400 photographs from the Museum of Modern Art in New York are to be sold at Christie’s to benefit the acquisitions fund for the Department of Photography.Works offered include iconic photographs by many of the most well-known names from the early 20th century to the post-war period, including Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen, Man Ray, Edward Weston, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Walker Evans. The selection is led by two unique Rayograph works by Man Ray from 1923 and 1928 which are to be offered on October 10.
The sale will start with four highlights on October 10. A subsequent series of online auctions will be held in October, December and in January and April 2018. The online sales are curated to encompass important themes including Pictorialism into Modernism, Women in Photography and several sales on individual photographers. Highlights will be previewed during exhibitions in San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York starting in September 2017. Cataloguing and complete details of the sales will be available on Christies.com in September.
Darius Himes, International Head of Photographs, Christie’s said: “Christie’s is honored to offer for sale a selection of photographs from The Museum of Modern Art, New York. In 1940, the Museum became the first in the country to form a Department of Photography. Many of the artists represented in this series of live and online auctions will be deeply familiar to any student of photography, and are beloved on an international scale. These auctions represent a unique opportunity to support the Museum and own a piece of photographic history.”
