Bob Dylan, Folk Singer, New York City, 1963
This gelatin silver print from 1967 of Bob Dylan by Richard Avedon is estimated at $40,000-60,000. It comes up at an online sale of photographs from the collection of actor Richard Gere at Christie’s from March 23 – April 7. The 156-lot sale offers works spanning the entire history of the medium, including 19th century masters Gustave Le Gray and Carleton Watkins, to recognised early 20th century figures such as Edward Weston, Tina Modotti and Alfred Stieglitz, through notable contemporary icons of today including Richard Avedon, Diane Arbus, Irving Penn, Sally Mann, Robert Mapplethorpe and Herb Ritts. Many of the works were acquired directly from the artists, many of whom Mr. Gere counted among his close friends. The sale carries a low estimate of nearly $2 million.
Richard Gere said: “These photographs arrived in my life because I felt something for them. They have real soul, a humanity, a generosity – it doesn’t matter what the technique is. You know, you listen to an early recording of a great opera singer from 1902, when they just started recording – it’s scratchy, it’s trebly. But the quality of that voice, the soul of the voice, it still hits you hard in your heart. Most of the photographers here are not that interested in technique. And the ones that are interested in technique were coming from a deep, personal place, with a point of view, and understanding of the universe.”
