Man Ray (1890 - 1976)

Tirage argentique d'époque. Rayogramme original. Monté sur carton original, signé et daté Man Ray' 42 et dédicacé to Georgia 1944. Monté sous passe-partout et encadré.

De l'artiste
Georgia et George Blaine, Hollywood 

This very rich print is in good condition. It has a matte surface and is printed on double-weight paper. With significant visible silvering mainly along the edges and in the upper and lower portions of the image. The edges and corners are occasionally minimally bumped. The card is light stained overthe signt area of the mount.
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Un Rayogramme est une photographie unique obtenue sans le recours d'un appareil photo ni même d'une pellicule. Man Ray retrouva le procédé original du photogramme, le renommant 'Rayogramme' sur la base de son propre nom. La méthode consiste à placer des objets sur un papier photographique non exposé, et à exposer le tout quelques instants à la lumière. Son choix d'objets pouvait s'arrêter sur les plus familiers tels des verres, des peignes, ou ses propres lunettes mais Man Ray pouvait également s'intéresser à des objets moins identifiables, aux silhouettes plus abstraites.  

Man Ray commença à créer ses Rayogrammes à Paris en 1922 mais il continuait encore d'expérimenter son invention dans les années 40. On recense environ trois douzaines de Rayogrammes crées dans les années 40.

Le présent Rayogramme de 1942 se distingue de tous les autres de Man Ray, comme l'a découvert Steven Manford, spécialiste des Rayogrammes de Man Ray. L'artiste a sélectionné sur un papier photographique de grand format plusieurs objets qu'il a ensuite couverts d'un voile de gaze. Lorsque l'installation fut prête et le Rayogramme imprimé, Man Ray fit quelque chose d'assez insolite. Certainement déçu de la composition d'ensemble, il la coupa en deux moitiés et rogna les bords verticaux. Notre Rayogramme est la moitié gauche. Manford a identifié la moitié droite, conservée dans les collections du Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco. C'est le seul exemple connu où Man Ray est parti d'un Rayogramme pour en créer deux. Il décida que chaque moitié du Rayogramme original aurait une composition propre mieux équilibrée et plus dynamique que celle de l'ensemble. Man Ray offrit en 1944 ce Rayogramme unique en son genre à la meilleure amie de Juliet, Georgia.

Sotheby's exprime toute sa reconnaissance à Steven Manford pour sa contribution à la rédaction de cette notice. 

The Rayograph is a unique photograph made without the aid of camera or film. Man Ray reinvented the primitive process of making photograms, renaming it a Rayograph after himself. The method simply involved placing objects on an unexposed sheet of photographic paper and briefly exposing it to light. His objects of choice ranged from everyday household items, such as glasses and bottles, to the unusual and the abstract. The resulting silhouettes, shadows, and distortions rendered compositions which were startling, unpredictable, and evocative. Though Man Ray began making the Rayographs in Paris in 1922 he continued to experiment with the process in Hollywood in the 1940s.

The present Rayograph of 1942 is unusual, even for Man Ray, as Man Ray photograph research scholar Steven Manford has discovered. The artist selected a few objects, covering them with a large sheet of gauze. After processing and drying the paper he then did something surprising. Presumably dissatisfied with the composition of the large sheet, he cut it in half and likely further trimmed the vertical edges, thus creating two individual Rayographs. This present work is one half of that composition. Manford has identified the other half as being an undated Rayograph in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco. Of the approximately three dozen Rayographs created during the 1940s, this is the sole extant instance of a Rayograph becoming two individual Rayographs. In doing so, Man Ray decided that each half was a more impressive and balanced composition. Man Ray gifted this very special and rare work to Juliet's closest friend Georgia in 1944.

Sotheby's wishes to thank Steven Manford for his assistance in researching this Rayograph.