Imogen Cunningham

mounted, signed, Harbor View studio and Museum of Modern Art labels on the reverse, 1928

Gift of Albert M. Bender, 1940

This print, on a rich, warm-toned, semi-glossy paper, is in generally excellent condition. There are 2 tiny chips to the top layer of emulsion along the lower edge of the print. Visible only in raking light and upon close examination is a spot of retouching in the lower left quadrant 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:

mounted, signed by the photographer in pencil on the mount, her '4540 Harbor View, Oakland, California' studio label, with typed title, date, and 'Enlarged from 4 x 5,' and a Museum of Modern Art label on the reverse, matted, 1928

The photograph offered here comes originally from the collection of Albert M. Bender (1866-1941), the owner of a small San Francisco insurance agency and a dedicated supporter of the arts.  He was the patron of a number of artists and writers, among them Edward Weston, Ansel Adams, and Consuelo Kanaga.  Bender first saw Ansel Adams's photographs in 1927 and immediately proposed to sponsor a portfolio of his work, Parmelian Prints of the High Sierras.  From that year on, Bender became one of Adams's most influential collectors.  In 1940, Adams became the vice-chairman of The Museum of Modern Art's first Committee on Photography, and it may have been his friendship with Adams that led Bender to donate to the Museum, in 1940, a number of important photographs by leading California photographers, including the one offered here.