W. Eugene Smith

large-format, 1946, printed no later than 1971, together with the original Masonite exhibition mount, credited by the photographer and with his '821 6th Avenue, N.Y., N. Y.' address in crayon, annotated 'No. 2 Overmt Grey' and 'Not Museum' (marked out in black crayon) in an unidentified hand in white pencil (2)

Gift of the photographer to the current owner

New York, The Jewish Museum, Let Truth Be the Prejudice, February - May 1971

William S. Johnson, W. Eugene Smith: Master of the Photographic Essay (Aperture, 1981), 21:001

Ben Maddow, Let Truth Be the Prejudice: W. Eugene Smith, His Life and Photographs (Aperture, 1986), p. 30

Edward Steichen, The Family of Man (The Museum of Modern Art, 1955), p. 192

This large, beautiful print, with a range of gray tones and on double-weight paper with a light surface sheen, is in generally very good condition. There is slight silvering at the periphery. When the print is viewed directly, none of the issues, resulting primarily from the print's having been removed from its masonite mount, are apparent. The edges are somewhat rubbed. When examined in raking light, small deposits of original retouching are visible, particularly in the lower portion of the print. Also in raking light, tiny creases not breaking the emulsion are evident at the edges and randomly throughout. These have been flattened during the course of conservation. The reverse of the print is slightly rough, from its having been removed from the mount. None of these issues detracts from the otherwise very attractive appearance of this 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.

This image, arguably Smith's best-known, represents his return to photography following the devastating injuries he incurred during mortar fire on Okinawa in May of 1945.  During his painful convalescence at home in Tuckahoe, N. Y., in the spring of 1946, Smith would lie in bed and watch his children, Patrick and Juanita, play in the back yard.  They would often make their way to adjoining woods through a clearing. After much thought, and for the first time in nearly a year, Smith picked up his camera and struggled to make the paralyzed fingers of his left hand work. 

This rare, oversized print of ‘The Walk to Paradise Garden,’ titled by Smith from a musical composition by Frederick Delius, was included in the photographer’s retrospective exhibition, Let Truth Be the Prejudice, at The Jewish Museum, New York, in 1971. As of this writing, this is the largest print of this image to be offered at auction.