Horst P. Horst (German/American, 1906-1999)

Horst P. Horst (German/American, 1906-1999)

Mainbocher Corset, 1939, printed later. Signature dry stamp l.r., annotated, titled, and dated on the verso by R.J. Horst. Gelatin silver print, image size 12 x 9 3/8 in. (30.5 x 23.8 cm), unmatted, unframed.
Condition: Good.

N.B. The most celebrated photograph by the fashion photographer Horst P. Horst, Mainboucher Corset, was made in the shadow of World War II. Reflecting on the piece, Horst said, "It was the last photograph I took in Paris before the war. I left the studio at 4AM, went back to the house, picked up my bags and caught the 7AM train to Le Havre to board on the Normandie. We all felt that the war was coming. Too much armament, too much talk, and you knew that whatever happened, life would be completely different after. I had found a family in Paris, and a way of life. The clothes, the books, the apartment, everything was left behind. I had left Germany, Huene had left Russia, and now we experienced the same kind of loss all over again. This photograph is peculiar, for me it is the essence of that moment. While I was taking it, I was thinking of all that I was leaving behind." Shot in the studios of French Vogue, the photograph is a master study in the interplay of dramatic light and shadow, where the corset's tumbling ribbons challenge the balance of orderly minimalism in the overall, timeless composition.
Estimate $7,000-10,000

Sheet size 14 x 11 in.

Items may have wear and tear, imperfections, or the effects of aging. Any condition statement given, as a courtesy to a client, is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Skinner shall have no responsibility for any error or omission.