MAN RAY, (American, 1890-1976), Solarized Male Torso
MAN RAY
(American, 1890-1976)
Solarized Male Torso
gelatin silver print
signed and dated Man Ray - 36 in pencil on the image, lower right
9 3/4 x 7 3/4 in., frame: 20 1/8 x 17 3/4 in.
Provenance: Sotheby's New York, April 6, 2011, Lot 92A; Collection of a Gentleman; by descent within his family.
Throughout his career, Man Ray approached photography as a medium for experimentation rather than documentation, using the camera and darkroom to transform familiar subjects. This approach to image making was central to his work, and reflected his association with Dada and Surrealism.
Solarized Torso belongs to a rare series of male nude studies Man Ray created in the 1930s, capturing the same model in a variety of poses. In the present photograph, Man Ray uses solarization, a technique that reverses tones in a photographic image, tracing the figure with a distinctive dark outline. The close cropping of the negative further abstracts the body, drawing attention to the sculptural form and architecture of the back. Other photographs from this series include a solarized frontal study, an example of which is held in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Condition
Please note: All property is sold "AS IS" and any statement, whether oral or written, is given as a courtesy and shall not be deemed as a guarantee, warranty, or representation of the authenticity of authorship, physical condition, size, quality, rarity, importance, provenance, exhibitions, literature or historical relevance of the property or otherwise. The absence of a condition report does not imply the item is in perfect condition.
MAN RAY
(American, 1890-1976)
Solarized Male Torso
gelatin silver print
signed and dated Man Ray - 36 in pencil on the image, lower right
9 3/4 x 7 3/4 in., frame: 20 1/8 x 17 3/4 in.
Provenance: Sotheby's New York, April 6, 2011, Lot 92A; Collection of a Gentleman; by descent within his family.
Throughout his career, Man Ray approached photography as a medium for experimentation rather than documentation, using the camera and darkroom to transform familiar subjects. This approach to image making was central to his work, and reflected his association with Dada and Surrealism.
Solarized Torso belongs to a rare series of male nude studies Man Ray created in the 1930s, capturing the same model in a variety of poses. In the present photograph, Man Ray uses solarization, a technique that reverses tones in a photographic image, tracing the figure with a distinctive dark outline. The close cropping of the negative further abstracts the body, drawing attention to the sculptural form and architecture of the back. Other photographs from this series include a solarized frontal study, an example of which is held in the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Condition
Please note: All property is sold "AS IS" and any statement, whether oral or written, is given as a courtesy and shall not be deemed as a guarantee, warranty, or representation of the authenticity of authorship, physical condition, size, quality, rarity, importance, provenance, exhibitions, literature or historical relevance of the property or otherwise. The absence of a condition report does not imply the item is in perfect condition.
