Robert Frank

flush-mounted to gray board, signed and with credit and title in ink, and with the photographer's copyright stamp, with credit and date in ink, his 'Robert Frank Archive' stamp, with date and number '162' in pencil, and with The Museum of Modern Art's Publicity Department stamp, annotated 'Please return to The Museum of Modern Art' by Grace Mayer in pencil, and numerical notations in pencil and ink, on the reverse, 1956

Lunn Gallery/Graphics International Ltd., Washington, D. C., 1978

Although the date '1963' is noted in an unidentified hand in pencil on the reverse of the flush mount, the print in the collection of the Cantor Arts Center is dated '1956' by Frank in ink in the lower margin, and we have used this date for the negative. The date '1963' might refer to an undetermined Museum of Modern Art exhibition or publication. Two paper labels on the reverse of the print probably also refer to a publication: one is inscribed 'page 31,' and the other with the reduction notation '4" [inches],' with a directional arrow. It is not known if this photograph was used for promotion of a MoMA exhibition, although this seems likely. If so, however, this would not be considered a 'press print' in the way we use that term today. As we stated in our introduction to 'Photographs from The Museum of Modern Art,' the catalogue for our April 2001 auction, in which several publicity or promotional prints were offered: 'From the 1930s to the 1950s, it was not uncommon for photographers to provide The Museum of Modern Art with more than one print of photographs selected for an exhibition. The first print was intended for the exhibition itself, the other—or occasionally, two or three others—were to be made available to the press, for publicity for the exhibition. The practice arose because it was easier and cheaper for the photographer to make one, or a few, extra prints, than for the Museum to make a copy negative and a copy print.' It is worth pointing out that, aside from images in his From-the-Bus series, the 79 photographs by Robert Frank in the important 1962 MoMA exhibition, Photographs by Harry Callahan and Robert Frank, were all 'bleed-mounted on board,' as is the present print (cf. Alexander, Robert Frank, Bibliography Series Number Two, CCP, University of Arizona, 1986, entry 447). This print, on paper with a slight surface sheen, is flush-mounted to a pale gray board. The edges are rubbed, and the corners are bumped. The emulsion is raised slightly in the upper and lower right corners. There is very faint yellowing/age-darkening at the periphery. When examined in high raking light, the following are visible: small deposits of original retouching, and extremely faint scratches that do not appear to break the emulsion. The reverse of the mount is lightly soiled. The numerical notations are: '#19' in pencil in the upper right corner; 'C-1' in black ink; and '29' (circled) in blue ink. 'Page 31' and '4"'are in ink on small adhesive labels on the reverse.
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.

A stamp from The Museum of Modern Art’s publicity department and annotations in the hand of Grace Mayer, Edward Steichen’s assistant at the Museum, indicate that the print offered here was used in conjunction with one of many Museum exhibitions that featured Robert Frank’s photographs.  From its first appearance in the 1950 exhibition Newly Purchased Work by 51 American Photographers, Frank’s work was included in no fewer than 29 exhibitions at The Museum of Modern Art through 2012.  He was befriended early on by Steichen, who regularly showed his photographs, including seven images in the historic 1955 Family of Man.  The Museum continued to champion Frank through the subsequent curatorships of John Szarkowski and Peter Galassi. 

 At the time of this writing, only one other print of this image has been located, in the collection of the Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University.