Bill Brandt

oversized, flush-mounted, 1954, printed in 1969

Acquired from the photographer, 1969

New York, The Museum of Modern Art, Bill Brandt, September - November 1969, and traveling to San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, 1970

Perspective of Nudes, p. 45; Houk, p. 39, laterally reversed; Shadow of Light, p. 137

This print is in generally excellent condition. Visible in raking light are the following: a small, soft handling crease in the lower left quadrant of the print that was presumably present before the mounting process; 2 tiny bumps in the upper left corner of the print, probably due to particles trapped between the print and the board during mounting; and minor edge chipping. There is a pinhole at the upper middle edge of the image.
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 full catalogue information for this lot is as follows:

oversized, flush-mounted, numerical notations in an unidentified hand in pencil on the reverse, 1954, printed in 1969

Bill Brandt was one of a series of major retrospectives of leading 20th-century photographers organized by John Szarkowski following his arrival at The Museum of Modern Art in 1962.  Along with André Kertész (1964), Dorothea Lange (1966), and Walker Evans (1971), Bill Brandt was planned and produced with the active participation of the photographer.  The print offered here was shown in this important retrospective exhibition.  Brandt nudes in an oversized format are unusual, and rarely appear for sale.