Camp de Châlons. Circa 1857. Albumen print 31,7 x 38,4 cm (52,5 x 68 cm). With photographer's signature stamp in red ink in lower right corner of print, mounted to board (some tears, slightly soiled) as well as photographer's studio stamp embossed onto mount below the image.
This photograph by Gustave Le Gray depicts Zouave soldiers in a military encampment. The Zouaves, a light infantry regiment in the French Army, were originally formed in 1831 from North African recruits but later included French soldiers. Known for their distinctive uniforms, featuring baggy trousers, short jackets, sashes, and turbans or fezzes, they became one of the most recognizable military units of the 19th century. Renowned for their bold fighting style and agility, Zouave regiments served in major conflicts such as the Crimean War (1853-1856), the Franco-Austrian War (1859), and the Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871), influencing similar units worldwide, including those in the American Civil War. – Some scuff and smudge marks, otherwise in very good condition.
Muybridge, Eadweard
Animal Locomotion. An Electrophotographic Investigation of Consecutive Phases of Animal Movements
Los 4064
Ergebnis (inkl. Aufgeld) *
2.500€ (US$ 2,778)
Animal Locomotion: An Electrophotographic Investigation of Consecutive Phases of Animal Movements. 1872-1885. 6 collotypes on plates. Each between 45 x 49 cm and 48,5 x 61,5 cm. Each with printed caption, plate number and Muybridge's copyright title.
Eadweard Muybridge was renowned for his groundbreaking work in motion studies. In 1878, he famously captured The Horse in Motion, a series demonstrating that during a horse’s gallop, all four hooves are off the ground simultaneously - a subject of debate at the time. Building on this success, Muybridge expanded his studies to include various animals and people, photographing over 100,000 images between 1884 and 1885. These efforts culminated in the 1887 publication Animal Locomotion, comprising 781 collotype plates that provided an unprecedented analysis of movement, influencing both scientific research and the arts. This selection of photographs features mostly human subjects from Muybridge’s Animal Locomotion series, including a toddler crawling (Plate 471), a man pushing a cart (Plate 393), two nude male wrestlers engaged in various holds and throws (Plate 529), a nude male throwing a ball (Plate 319), a nude male catching a ball (Plate 288), as well as a rider on a horse (Plate 578). – Edges of plates show time-staining, along with some tears and water stains; however, the images remain unaffected and are in very good condition.
Lit.: Eadweard Muybridge. Animal Locomotion: An Electro-Photographic Investigation of Consecutive Phases of Animal Movements, 1872-1885. Philadelphia 1887.
Nadar jeune
Prize-winning cows at the Paris agricultural fair
Los 4065
Ergebnis (inkl. Aufgeld) *
1.875€ (US$ 2,083)
Prize-winning cows at the Paris agricultural fair. 1856. 4 varnished salted paper prints. Each ca. 19,3 x 26,6 cm (29,9 x 47,2 cm). Photographer's studio stamp in lower margin of print, each mounted to board, printed title below the image on the mount.
Adrien Tournachon, younger brother of Gaspard-Félix Tournachon (Nadar), briefly collaborated with his brother before tensions led to a legal dispute in 1855, with Félix ultimately recognized as “the only, the true Nadar.” In 1856 and 1860, Adrien photographed prize-winning livestock at the Paris agricultural fair, using the collodion wet plate process. At the 1856 show, he produced over 120 negatives, printing around 50 for an album presented to the minister of agriculture and commerce. The photograph offered here is printed using the vernis-cuit technique, where the paper is coated with gelatin and tannin to create a varnished, leather-like surface. – A few light surface scratches and pressure marks, slightly faded in areas, otherwise mostly rich, dark prints in very good condition.
Railway Accident Paris
Railway accident, October 22, 1895, Montparnasse, Paris
Los 4067
Ergebnis (inkl. Aufgeld) *
450€ (US$ 500)
Photographer unknown. Railway accident, October 22, 1895, Montparnasse, Paris. Vintage collodion paper print. 14,3 x 10,5 cm. Annotated in pencil on the verso, hinge mounted in upper edge in mat.
On October 22, 1895, a train derailed at Paris’s Montparnasse station due to excessive speed, crashing through the station wall and falling onto the street below. While all passengers survived, a woman on the street was tragically killed. This photograph is notably rare. It shows a more distant perspective than commonly published images, and captures details such as the advertising column at right, which is not seen in most other views. – Some handling dents and bumps, otherwise in good condition.
Robertson, James & Felice Beato
Views of Constantinople and Cairo
Los 4068
Ergebnis (inkl. Aufgeld) *
1.875€ (US$ 2,083)
Views of Constantinople. 1850s. 4 albumen prints. 26,2 x 31,2 cm (30,5 x 44 cm). All but one titled and signed in negative in lower edge, mounted to board (some light foxing and discoloration).
During the 1850s and 1860s, James Robertson and Felice Beato operated a prominent photography studio in Pera, the European quarter of Constantinople. Their collaboration began circa 1853, leading to the establishment of Robertson & Beato, one of the earliest commercial photography studios in the region. They were later joined by Beato’s brother, Antonio, expanding their photographic endeavors. Their extensive portfolio documented the city’s rich architectural heritage, diverse landscapes, and vibrant daily life, providing invaluable visual records of the Ottoman Empire during that era. – Some light scuff marks, one print slightly faded, otherwise all strong prints in near excellent condition.
World Travel Album
Views of various countries and portraits including from Jerusalem, Sumatra, Siak, Bangkok, Canton, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Amoy, Kiang, Nagasaki, Yokohama, Hiogo, Peru
Los 4074
Ergebnis (inkl. Aufgeld) *
3.125€ (US$ 3,472)
Photographers: Sylvester Dutton and Vincent Michaels (1824-1866, c. 1832-1864), Felice Beato (1832-1909), Shimooka Renjo (1823-1914), Ueno Hikoma (1838-1904), August Sachtler (c.1839-1873), Gustav Lambert (1846-1907) and others. Views of various countries such as Dutch India, China, Japan, Arabia and Peru. Circa 112 albumen prints. Various sizes between circa 6 x 8,5 cm, 22 x 26,5 cm and 24 x 34 cm. One print with photographer's name in lower edge in the negative, mounted to album boards (some foxing, time-staining), some annotated in German by Schmedes (?) in ink on album boards, bound in brown velvet album (some rubbed spots, back cover rubbed) with cut-out title "ALBUM" on blue paper background on front cover.
This rare and comprehensive album was compiled circa 1872 by German photographer and businessman Wilhelm Schmedes, who was working as an assistant at the Woodbury & Page studio in Batavia (present-day Jakarta) at the time. The album contains Schmedes’ handwritten notes indicating that the photographs were taken between 1869-1872. It is likely that Schmedes purchased these images from one of the officers of the Hertha when the vessel docked in Sumatra, as suggested by the inclusion of a portrait of the Sultan of Siak.
The collection comprises approximately 112 albumen prints, many dating from the 1860s, gathered during the voyage. It includes a large photograph of the Hertha’s crew and rare, large-format images from various destinations such as Plymouth, Bangkok, Canton, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Amoy, Nagasaki, Yokohama, and Lima. Notably, the album features very large portraits of the Sultan and Princess of Siak, as well as numerous carte-de-visite portraits of various indigenous peoples.
We extend our thanks to Joachim K. Bautze for attributing some of the Asian portraits in this album to August Sachtler and/or Gustav Lambert, and to Sebastian Dobson for identifying several Japanese views and carte-de-visite photographs. – Some prints faded, especially in edges, some with creases, buckling, a few with spots, many with strong contrasts and in good to very good condition.
Jean Cocteau with Gun. 1926. Gelatin silver print, printed later. 34 x 25,5 cm (67,5 x 52 cm). Mounted to board (some foxing), signed and editioned "41/60" in pencil on the mount below the image.
Edges slightly rubbed and torn in some places, otherwise in good condition.
Lit.: Berenice Abbott. Berenice Abbott: Photographs. New York 1970, ill. p. 18.
Abbott, Berenice
Theater & Amusement Service Employees Union, Local 54, 826 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y.
Los 4076
Ergebnis (inkl. Aufgeld) *
1.500€ (US$ 1,667)
Theater & Amusement Service Employees Union, Local 54, 826 Seventh Avenue, New York, N.Y. 1960s. Vintage gelatin silver print. 24,2 × 10 cm. With the photographer’s "50 Commerce Street" studio stamp, “Giorgio Cavaglieri Architect” stamp, cropping notes and label with typewritten caption affixed to the verso.
This photograph by Berenice Abbott reflects her later career focus on architectural documentation, produced as a commercial commission rather than a personal project. Known primarily for her artistic and documentary work, Abbott also undertook assignments for architects, designers, and institutions, applying her precisionist style to highlight modernist structures. The architect Giorgio Cavaglieri, whose stamp appears on the verso, was a pioneering figure in historic preservation and adaptive reuse, best known for restoring the Jefferson Market Library in Greenwich Village. – Edges rubbed, some scuff marks as well as traces of previous mounting. otherwise in good condition.
Álvarez Bravo, Manuel
Retrato de lo Eterno (Portrait of the Eternal)
Los 4077
Ergebnis (inkl. Aufgeld) *
2.375€ (US$ 2,639)
Retrato de lo Eterno (Portrait of the Eternal). 1935. Gelatin silver print, printed later. 25,2 x 20,2 cm. Signed "M. Alvarez Bravo. Mexico." in pencil on the verso.
This seminal work by Manuel Álvarez Bravo features Isabel Villaseñor, a distinguished poet, sculptor, and songwriter, who embodied female intellect and beauty in post-revolutionary Mexico. Villaseñor gazes into a handheld mirror, her long hair cascading around her, symbolizing themes of beauty, memory, and the passage of time. The image exemplifies Álvarez Bravo’s talent for transforming everyday scenes into profound reflections on universal themes, blending documentary realism with surrealist elements. – Two very light pressure marks, otherwise in excellent condition.
Lit.: Arthur Ollman and Nissan N. Perez. Revelaciones: The Art of Manuel Álvarez Bravo. San Diego 1990, ill. p. 4, cover.
Frederick Kaufman. Manuel Álvarez Bravo: Photographs and Memories. New York 1997, ill. p. 31.
A. D. Coleman. Manuel Álvarez Bravo: Masters of Photography. New York 1987, ill. p. 53.
Weston Naef. In Focus: Manuel Álvarez Bravo, Photographs from the J. Paul Getty Museum. Los Angeles 2001, ill. p. 51.
Arbus, Diane
Woman in her negligée, N.Y.C
Los 4080
Ergebnis (inkl. Aufgeld) *
3.125€ (US$ 3,472)
Woman in her negligée, N.Y.C.. 1966. Gelatin silver print, printed 1972 by Neil Selkirk. 37 x 37 cm (50,5 x 40,5 cm). Edition stamp, therein signed, titled, dated and editioned "23/75" by Doon Arbus in ink, "The Estate of Diane Arbus" copyright stamp and reproduction limitation stamp on the verso. Framed under glass in wooden frame.
Diane Arbus’s Woman in Her Negligee, N.Y.C. exemplifies her signature approach to portraiture - unflinching, intimate, and psychologically charged. Arbus was drawn to individuals in moments of quiet self-presentation, capturing a raw, almost confrontational honesty that set her apart from her contemporaries. Her work redefined documentary photography, shifting it from objective observation to deeply personal engagement with her subjects. This image reflects her enduring interest in themes of identity, vulnerability, and the tension between public and private selves. Prints of this image are held in major institutional collections, including the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the Whitney Museum, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles, the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston as well as the Centre Pompidou in Paris. – Minor crease and pressure mark in mid-section; otherwise a rich tonal print in near excellent condition.
Lit.: Diane Arbus. Diane Arbus: An Aperture Monograph. New York 1972, unpaginated.
Arnold, Eve
Clark Gable during the filming of The Misfits
Los 4083
Ergebnis (inkl. Aufgeld) *
1.500€ (US$ 1,667)
Clark Gable during the filming of The Misfits. 1960. Gelatin silver print, printed later. 48 x 33 cm. (51 x 41 cm). Photographer's signature stamp and copyright stamp on the verso.
In excellent condition.
Ballmer, Theo
Ohne Titel (Beleuchtungsstudie)
Los 4084 [*]
Ergebnis (inkl. Aufgeld) *
750€ (US$ 833)
Untitled (Beleuchtungsstudie). Circa 1930. Gelatin silver print, printed later. 24 x 30,5 cm. Signed in pencil on the verso.
In the late 1920s and 1930s, Theo Ballmer developed a body of photographic work closely aligned with the aesthetics of the New Typography and the emerging principles of modernist design. Strongly influenced by his training under Walter Peterhans at the Bauhaus and his engagement with the Constructivist movement, Ballmer’s photographs from this period often feature industrial objects, stark lighting, and carefully arranged compositions that emphasize form, texture, and geometric abstraction. – Some light scuff marks, otherwise in near excellent condition.
Tulips; Gladiolus. 1930s. 2 vintage gelatin silvers prints. Each 38,3 x 28,3 cm. Each flush-mounted to chipboard, photographer's label on mount verso.
The German photographer Max Baur is known for his contribution to the New Objectivity movement in the early 20th century. His photography primarily focused on industrial subjects, architecture, and urban landscapes, characterized by precise composition and sharp lines. Baur also created exquisite flower still life photographs, displaying his versatility and artistic depth. – A few minimal spots, a few corners slightly bumped, otherwise in good condition.
Maguerite and grass; Campanula. 1930s. 2 vintage gelatin silvers prints. 38,3 x 28,3 cm. Each flush-mounted to chipboard, photographer's label on mount verso.
One print with a few small spots, a few corners slightly bumped, otherwise in good condition.
Beaton, Cecil
Truman Capote, Bangkok, Thailand
Los 4088
Ergebnis (inkl. Aufgeld) *
1.375€ (US$ 1,528)
Truman Capote, Bangkok, Thailand. 1958. Vintage gelatin silver print. 25,2 x 20,4 cm. Photographer's copyright stamp, "The Museum of the City of New York" stamp and annotations in pencil and felt-tip pen on the verso.
This portrait of Truman Capote by Cecil Beaton, taken in Bangkok, demonstrates Beaton’s ability to merge portraiture with a cinematic sense of atmosphere. Known for his glamorous celebrity portraits, he adopts a more organic approach here. The contrast between Capote’s delicate features and the oversized leaves reflects themes of vulnerability and control, nature and artifice. Captured just before Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1958), this remains one of the most evocative images of Capote at a defining moment in his career. – Corners bumped, with a small crease in the lower right corner and some surface irregularities, otherwise in good condition.
Becher, Bernd and Hilla
Hochofen, Hainer Hütte, Siegen
Los 4090
Ergebnis (inkl. Aufgeld) *
10.000€ (US$ 11,111)
Hochofen, Hainer Hütte, Siegen. 1961. Vintage large-format ferrotyped gelatin silver print, printed 1971. 39,5 x 30 cm. Mounted to original board, signed by the photographers in pencil on mount verso. Framed under glass in wooden frame.
Bernd and Hilla Becher, the influential German conceptual artists and photographers, collaborated throughout their careers to document industrial architecture with remarkable precision and consistency. They are best known for their extensive typologies of structures such as water towers, blast furnaces, and framework houses, often presented in grids to highlight formal similarities and regional variations. Their work, characterized by its objective style and conceptual rigor, significantly influenced the development of contemporary art and led to the founding of the Düsseldorf School of Photography, shaping the practices of subsequent generations of artists.
While the Bechers are primarily associated with their grid-based typologies, individual prints such as the one offered here hold particular significance. This photograph, taken in 1961 in Siegen, Bernd Becher’s birthplace, and in the year the couple married, is an early example of their iconic practice. – Minimal surface scuff mark in upper left sky area, only visible in raking light, otherwise a fine tonal print in near excellent condition.
Provenance: Private Collection, Siegen
Lit.: Susanne Lange. Was wir tun, ist letztlich Geschichten erzählen... Bernd und Hilla Becher. Eine Einführung in Leben und Werk. Munich 2005, ill. plate 7, p. 104.
Ariane Grigoteit (ed.). Bernd & Hilla Becher. Mainz 1998, ill. p. 83.
[*]: Regelbesteuert gemäß Auktionsbedingungen. [^]: Ausgleich von Einfuhr-Umsatzsteuer.
* Alle Angaben inkl. 25% Regelaufgeld ohne MwSt. und ohne Gewähr – Irrtum vorbehalten.
Galerie Bassenge
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Montag bis Donnerstag, 10–18 Uhr,
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Telefon: +49 30 8938029-0
Fax: +49 30 8918025
E-Mail: info (at) bassenge.com
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© 2024 Galerie Gerda Bassenge
Galerie Bassenge
Erdener Str. 5A
14193 Berlin
Öffnungszeiten:
Montag bis Donnerstag, 10–18 Uhr,
Freitag, 10–16 Uhr
Telefon: +49 30 8938029-0
Fax: +49 30 8918025
E-Mail: info (at) bassenge.com
Impressum
Datenschutzerklärung
© 2022 Galerie Gerda Bassenge