Man Ray

the '31 bis Rue Campagne Première' posthumous studio stamp (Manford M-28) on the reverse, 1929

This photograph is on double-weight paper with a semi-glossy surface. It is essentially in excellent condition. There is minor wear in the emulsion on the top edge near the left corner, and a very faint soft crease in the upper center portion of the image. Neither is obtrusive. The tiny white and dark spots visible in the image are features of the negative and are not defects in the present print.
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.

Man Ray completed his third film, Les Mystères du Château du Dé (The Mystery of the Château of the Dice), in 1929.  The project was initiated by a request from Man Ray's friend, the Vicomte de Noailles, to make a film of his château as a souvenir.  Man Ray was at first uninspired by the commission, and took on the project reluctantly, but became more enthusiastic as he prepared to start shooting.  Man Ray wrote that a photograph of the château, with its cube-like forms, reminded him of the Mallarmé poem, A Throw of the Dice Can Never Do Away with Chance.  Thus dice became a repeating visual motif of the film, as did the idea of chance.   Cars and automotive travel, another preoccupation of Man Ray's cinematic work, are also themes of the film, as evidenced by this picture of a seemingly infinite stretch of French roadway with a car's hood ornament in the lower left corner of the frame (cf. Man Ray: The Rigour of Imagination, pp. 300-02).