Man Ray

unique Rayograph, signed and dated '26' by the photographer in pencil on the image, signed and annotated 'Je Certifie ce Rayograph est l'original' by the photographer in pencil and with his 'Original' (Manford 27) stamp on the reverse, matted, framed, 1926

Acquired by Timothy Baum from the photographer, 1970

European Collection, 1972

Christie's London, 29 October 1992, Sale 4832, Lot 106

Private Collection

Acquired by Margaret W. Weston and Timothy Baum from the above, 1999

Private Collection

New York, Noah Goldsworthy Gallery, Man Ray: Photographs and Rayographs, November - December 1970

Washington, D. C., Lunn Gallery, October - November 1971

This print:

Emmanuelle de l'Ecotais, Man Ray Rayographies (Paris, 2002), cat. no., 172

Manfred Heiting, ed., Man Ray 1890-1976 (Köln, 2000), p. 192 (illustrated as a horizontal)

This delicately-composed photograph has soft whites and smoky midtones. The photograph is in generally excellent condition. Typical of a print of this age, faint silvering along the edges of the print is visible in raking light.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

This early abstract Rayograph of the Surrealist period was probably conceived by Man Ray as part of a group of landscape constructions.  Such Rayographs, made between the years 1924 and 1927, are recurring and numerous, characterized by a prominent foreground, illusions to a dynamic topography, textured gauzy skies, and glowing planets.  An important example of this genre, the famous Swedish Landscape of 1925, was sold in these rooms in April 2000 (Sale 7448, Lot 26).  Other Rayograph landscapes of the same period can be found in the collections of the Yale University Art Gallery and The Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Unlike similar compositions, the Rayograph offered here remained in Man Ray's possession until well after his return to Paris in 1951.  Sometime before 1972, he made the decision to re-orient the photograph to a vertical, or portrait, format, signing and dating the work in pencil only then. In reappraising the work, a not uncommon practice, Man Ray has accomplished something fairly radical by presenting the work as an abstract composition which does not depend on recognizable objects, themes, or compositions.

In this sophisticated Rayograph, Man Ray has employed all of the skills and remarkable innovations he brought to the photogram since the creation of his first one early in 1922.  His breakthrough was rendering (on paper) the object transparent, producing the effect of seeing through objects.  This was partially accomplished by using semi-transparent objects, such as the dominant central sphere, in which the fine lines of the fabric behind are perfectly silhouetted.

Man Ray made this Rayograph with a single exposure of the paper using five stationary objects.  To broaden and enrich the tonal scale and add a layer of texture, Man Ray begins the assemblage by laying down an irregular ragged swatch of fabric.  Such screens are an essential prop, as is the case here, in moving the work away from a compositional study of purely black and white objects.  The additional layer produces a much-needed range of grays.  To the right of the three spheres is a slotted object casting two shadows.  The item, probably the lower section of a trivet, or an iron trivet, is a welcome feature.  In its irregular shape, the resulting distorted form adds an element of mystery and ambiguity.  The trivet (along with other items culled from his kitchen) is seen in numerous Rayographs, and a slighter trivet appears in a few early examples.

The inscription and stamp on the recto and verso indicate that Man Ray himself confirmed the uniqueness of this Rayograph. The inscription 'I certify that this Rayograph is the original. Man Ray' ('Je certifie ce Rayograph est l'original. Man Ray') was without doubt added when it changed hands in 1972.  It was only in the last decade of his life, when there was a proliferation of copies of Rayographs, that Man Ray was solicited to confirm the originality of works with this certification.  This notation in ballpoint pen is supplemented by the large 'Original' stamp, which was also applied in the later years. To date, no negative of this Rayograph is extant, nor have any later prints been located.

Sotheby's thanks Man Ray Rayograph scholar Steven Manford for this essay.