LÁSZLÓ MOHOLY-NAGY | 'Gletscher'

oversized, signed and titled in pencil and numbered ‘9’ in pencil within a rectangular red stamp on the reverse, circa 1931 

The photographer to Otto Eisler

Estate of Otto Eisler

Sotheby’s London, 4 May 2000, Sale 00511, Lot 164

Telehor: The International Review New Vision, Nos. 1-2 (Brno, 1936), p. 97

Andreas Haus, Moholy-Nagy: Photographs and Photograms (New York, 1980), pl. 105

This impressive large print is on heavy double-weight paper with a glossy surface. Moholy has captured the luminosity of the sunlit ice formation with skill. It is a deftly-made print that sets forth a wide variety of subtly shifting tonalities. It is essentially in excellent condition. When examined in raking light, several spots and curved lines of original retouching are visible. Also in raking light, some slight inconsistencies in the print's surface and some minor soft handling creases can be seen. The print has a margin that is ½-inch to ¾-inch wide. There are creases in the upper left and lower right corners, as well as general minor wear on the edges. There is a half-inch tear near the center of the right edge which comes close to, but does not intrude upon, the image. The overall dimensions of the sheet are 16 3/4 by 12 in. (40 by 30.5 cm.).
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.

As with Cat, Seen from Above (Lot 125), Gletscher is one of the few camera images by Moholy-Nagy to focus exclusively on natural subject matter.  The two images are also works that demonstrate the photographer’s command of both positive and negative printing.  The print offered here appears to be a negative version.  Moholy-Nagy’s use of reversed tonal values intensified the effect of the glacier’s crevice as a strong diagonal within an abstract field, linking this image to his work with the photogram process (Lot 126) and to Constructivism in general (Lot 131). This photograph comes originally from Otto Eisler (1893-1968), who worked for a time with Moholy’s Bauhaus colleague Walter Gropius.  It was part of a group of avant-garde photographs from Eisler’s collection sold at Sotheby’s London in 1999 and 2000.