Ralph Steiner

annotated 'return to Ralph Steiner - Thetford Hill, VT, 05074' in ink on the reverse, circa 1930

Houk/Friedman Gallery, New York, 1991

'Vanishing Backyards,' Fortune, May 1930, Vol. 1, No. 4, p. 78

Ralph Steiner, A Point of View (Wesleyan University Press, 1978), p. 56

Peter Galassi, Walker Evans & Company (Museum of Modern Art, 2000), pl. 30

This early contact print is essentially in excellent condition. It is on lightly-textured double-weight paper with a semi-glossy surface. The highlights are a pleasing cool blue-green tonality. In raking light, a soft one-inch diagonal crease is barely visible in the upper left quadrant. There is wear and some chipping along the black margin edges. The margin corners are bumped, and there are tack-holes in the lower left margin corner. On the reverse of the print are 2 small hinge remnants along the right edge. When examined under ultraviolet light, this print does not appear to fluoresce. This print is accompanied by a frame backboard with a typed Houk Friedman, New York, gallery label.
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.

American Rural Baroque was first published in Fortune magazine in May 1930.  The article, entitled ‘Vanishing Backyards,’ paired Steiner’s photographs with paintings by Charles Burchfield, each of whom, the article stated, ‘has concerned himself with the American Scene . . . [and] has rejected artificial drama and the excitement of the accidental.’  American Rural Baroque, arguably Steiner’s most famous image, demonstrates his ability to effectively present pure photographic documentation within a formally perfect composition.