Man Ray

the photographer's '31 bis Rue Campagne Première' studio stamp (Manford M6) on the reverse, framed, circa 1925 (Man Ray's Paris Portraits, pl. 32)

This photograph is on double-weight paper with a semi-glossy surface. It is in very good condition. There is a soft 2-inch crease in the upper left corner that does not break the emulsion and is only visible upon close examination in raking light. Also visible only in raking light are a few minor scuffs and indentations on the surface, none of which breaks the emulsion. There is a tiny crease in the upper right corner with some attendant minor loss of emulsion. There is some chipping of the emulsion in the lower right corner. The print has age-appropriate silvering in the dark areas. These issues do not undermine the generally fine appearance of this early print. Variant photographs of Cocteau made during the same session. Man Ray: Photography and Its Double, p. 20 Man Ray's Man Rays, p. 33 Man Ray: Paris~LA, p. 16 Man Ray (Taschen), p. 240
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 recently expatriated Man Ray met Jean Cocteau in Paris in the early 1920s.  Though the two young artists were roughly the same age, Cocteau's standing within the artistic and social circles of Paris was well established by the time of their meeting.  He was, as Man Ray described him, 'someone who knew everybody in Paris, was a social idol, and a poet, although despised by the Dadaists' (Self-Portrait, p. 99).  It was through Cocteau's connections that Man Ray's business as a portrait photographer grew; under Cocteau's auspices the artistic elite of Paris sat before Man Ray's camera.  It was also through Cocteau that Man Ray secured one of his most unusual commissions: taking the deathbed portrait of writer Marcel Proust in 1922. 

Jean Cocteau, who met Man Ray in Paris in the early 1920s, was an avid and collaborative photographic subject.  The photograph offered here comes from a series Man Ray took of Cocteau actively and intently working on a wire sculpture self-portrait.