Horst P. Horst Barefoot Beauty, N. Y.

Horst P. Horst
1906 - 1999
Barefoot Beauty, N. Y.

gelatin silver print, the photographer's facsimile signature embossed in the margin, signed and with title and date in pencil on the reverse, framed, 1941, printed later
image: 55.7 by 43.1 cm (22 by 17 in.)
frame: 88 by 74.9 cm (34⅝ by 29½ in.)

Condition Report:
Please note the colours and shades in the online catalogue illustration may vary depending on screen settings.

This print, on paper with a matte surface, is in generally excellent condition. When examined closely in raking light, two very faint fingerprints are visible in the upper left and right corners. There is a slightly glossy area in the upper left quadrant, possibly original retouching.

The upper left margin edge is softly bumped, and there is a small raised area in the upper margin. There is a tiny chip at the upper right margin edge.

There is a small abrasion at the upper left corner on the reverse. 'S. G. P.', 'YW 3907', and '7 [circled]' are written in an unidentified hand in pencil on the reverse.

Catalogue Note:
The present image embodies two of Horst P. Horst’s most important influences: classical form and surrealism. The eroticization and fetishization of the deconstructed body was a topic common among the Surrealists, who often 'removed' parts of the body to decontextualize the female form. In Horst’s clever composition, one can barely tell the difference between the model’s feet and those belonging to the statue beneath her.

Provenance:
Acquired by the present owner circa 1998