Fred Zinnemann

framed, 1931

This warm-toned early print is on lightly-textured, double-weight paper. It is in generally very good condition. There is a thin band of age-appropriate silvering along the left edge. A few small deposits of original retouching are visible in raking light upon very close examination. 'PF27274' is written in an unidentified hand in pencil on the reverse of the print. Yellowed adhesive remains and paper remnants suggest this print was originally affixed to a 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.
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.

Award-winning filmmaker Fred Zinnemann, who directed such films as High Noon, From Here to Eternity, and A Man for All Seasons, among others, began his career as a photography student.  He arrived in New York from his native Austria on the day of the stock market crash in October 1929.  After visiting Hollywood, he returned to New York in 1932, with plans to publish a book of photographs of the city.  In the depths of the Depression, the cost of producing an illustrated book proved too expensive, and Zinnemann turned to filmmaking. An early effort was The Wave, on which he worked with Paul Strand.

Very few vintage prints of Zinnemann's New York photographs survive. Over the years, his prints and negatives were consigned to storage or lost. Most of what remained of his personal archive was donated to the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1989.