Tina Modotti

Vittorio Vidali's Fifth Regiment stamp and a typed title label, titled, dated, numbered and annotated in unidentified hands in pencil and in ink on the reverse, matted, 1929 (Lowe, pl. 50; Hooks, p. 201; Throckmorton, p. 15)

This early, slightly warm-toned print on double-weight matte-surface paper is in generally very good condition. The corners are lightly bumped, and there is light wear and chipping of the emulsion at the edges. There are two sharp handling creases at the top edge, one of which breaks the emulsion. There is discoloration in the upper corners, likely due to tape remains on the reverse. On the reverse, there are remnants of masking and cellotape in three corners. There is a one-inch strip of adhesive and paper remains visible across the top edge and in the lower right corner. The print is numbered '4' and '32' and annotated 'T' in unidentified hands in pencil and red pencil, respectively. Although the print was dated '1927', we know, based on information in the autobiography of Ione Robinson titled 'A Wall to Paint On,' that the print was made in the summer of 1929.
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.

The young American artist Ione Robinson (1910 - 1989), an aspiring muralist, traveled to Mexico in the summer of 1929 in hopes of working with the great Diego Rivera.  With only token letters of introduction, she wrangled her way across the Mexican border and did indeed meet Rivera, who allowed her to assist him on his mural project at the National Palace.  It was Rivera who arranged for her to stay at the home of his good friend and former lover, Tina Modotti, until permanent lodgings could be found.  In her autobiography, A Wall to Paint On (New York, 1946), compiled from a series of letters to her family and friends, Robinson wrote of Modotti's hospitality, recalling, 'She has been wonderful to me, and she is certainly a fascinating person . . .  She even unpacked my clothes for me . . . [and] gave me a folio of her photographs to look at . . .' (pp. 85-6). Over the course of her three-month stay in Mexico, the spirited Robinson became friends not only with Rivera and Modotti, but also with Frida Kahlo and Joseph Freeman—a young American communist writer and her eventual husband—who headed the Mexican office of Tass, the Russian news agency. It was during Robinson's time in Mexico City that Modotti took several photographs of her, including the one offered here. This print comes originally from the collection of Modotti's friend and companion, Vittorio Vidali (see Lot 5).