- 96
John Minihan b.1946
Description
- John Minihan
- Samuel Beckett photographed in room 604, The Hyde Park Hotel, London
- signed, titled and dated 1980; signed, dated and inscribed Samuel Beckett. Room 604, Hyde Park Hotel, London 1980 on the reverse
- silver gelatin print
- plate: 30 by 45cm.; 11¾ by 17¾in.
Catalogue Note
Executed in 1980, the present work is number four from an edition of six.
Minihan has often been referred to as Samuel Beckett’s ‘official’ photographer and with good reason. The wonderfully evocative series of shots of Beckett which he took were gained through having unprecedented access to the usually elusive and publicity-shy playwright. They first met in 1980 when Beckett was directing Endgame at the Riverside Studios in Hammersmith. The following day Minihan ventured to the Hyde Park Hotel to find Beckett in the now infamous room 604 where he took a series of shots, 'finally getting to meet Sam Beckett in that hotel room was the culmination of a ten year journey for me…' . He also shot Beckett in 1984 and persuaded him again in 1985 in Paris with the advent of his 80th birthday (see lot 97). As a result, these last pictures produced are arguably the most iconic pictures ever taken of him.