Diane Arbus 1926-1971

2 photographs, comprising Doon Arbus with Horse and Amy Arbus in Profile, the first signed and inscribed 'To my good friend Tony' by Doon Arbus in ink on the image, each mounted, signed, dated, and numbered by Doon Arbus, in ink, and with the 'A Diane Arbus print, Doon Arbus administrator,' and Arbus Estate reproduction rights stamps on the reverse, 1956-61; each accompanied by a typed letter of authentication signed by Doon Arbus, 1998 (2)

The first: Doon Arbus to Tony Perkins; to Stephen Paley, the current owner, circa 1990

The second: the photographer to Stephen Paley, the current owner, 1959  

The first of these images, the portrait of Doon Arbus, is inscribed by the subject to actor Tony Perkins.  In her biography of Diane Arbus, Patricia Bosworth recounts how Doon, as a teenager, developed an infatuation for Perkins, standing out in front of his apartment building until she was finally invited in.  She became a frequent visitor to Perkins's house.  At the time, Perkins was starring in a Broadway production of Look Homeward Angel, and he introduced Doon to playwright Michael Smith with whom she later worked (Bosworth, pp. 149-50).  Perkins gave this portrait to his friend, the photographer Stephen Paley around 1990. 

Paley received the other portrait in this lot, of Amy Arbus, directly from the photographer in 1959 during a visit to her home.  The portrait had been pinned to a wall, and after Paley had said that he admired it, Diane Arbus took the photograph down and gave it to him.