MARGRETHE MATHER - Semi-nude

Artist: MARGRETHE MATHER
Print Title: Semi-nude, Billy Justema in a Kimono, 1923
One of her most famous images
Medium: Photo-Engraving
Printing Date: 1980
Printed in the USA
Image size approx. 7.25 x 5.75 inches

Margrethe Mather(1886-1952) was one of the best known female photographers of the early 20th century. Initially she influenced and was influenced by Edward Weston while working in the pictorial style, but she independently developed a strong eye for patterns and design that transformed some of her photographs into modernist abstract art. She met photographer Edward Weston in the autumn of 1913 when she went to his studio in nearby Tropico. They had many of the same photographic interests, and by both Weston's and Mather's accounts the two became intensely involved with each other within six months after they met. At the time, Mather was described as "maddening to the eye, the heart and whatever might be left of reason...distinctly marvelous and infuriating as an individual." By 1918 she was working regularly with Weston, and the two exchanged both stylistic ideas and photographic techniques. In 1921 Mather's and Weston's joint photographic interests reached the point that they entered into a semi-formal partnership. For most of that year they created a series of about a dozen photographs that they jointly signed – the only time in Weston's career that he was known to have shared credit with another photographer. During this same period she made several stunning portraits of Weston, including full-frame close-ups that capture his somewhat soulful expression. In 1923 Weston became infatuated with photographer Tina Modotti and decided to travel to Mexico with her. Before he left he took a series of nude studies of Mather in the sand dunes at Redondo Beach, California. These images that bear a close resemblance to his more famous nudes of his second wife Charis Wilson taken 13 years later. After Weston left, she became close friends with and repeatedly photographed the budding artist Billy Justema. One of her most famous images, Semi-Nude, a strong horizontal image of Justema's abdomen and contorted hands wrapped loosely by a boldly patterned kimono, was made soon after the two met. This is the earliest example of a strong decorative element in Mather's work, and she would use this stylistic device repeatedly as she continued to develop for own artistic vision.

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Condition Report: Very Good (slight scuffing and yellowing toward the edges) - wax tissue, heat mounted on conservation grade mat board. COA included