This autumn, Sotheby’s Photographs sale in New York will offer fascinating insight into the early work and romances of Robert Mapplethorpe. In a sale sequence called Robert Mapplethorpe: Objects of Desire, Important Works from the Collection of David Croland, exceptionally personal images and objects by the late photographer tell the story of his three-year relationship with model and artist David Croland, the first male subject he photographed. Croland served as both muse and support, introducing the young artist to curators and his many influential friends in the world of fashion and art. “I remember the first time Robert and I came to Sotheby’s. He said, ‘You won’t believe this place.’ He was so bowled over by all the lovely things,” recalls Croland, adding that in 2015, Sotheby’s sold one of Mapplethorpe’s most iconic photos, Man in Polyester Suit. “These objects belong at Sotheby’s.” Click ahead for a first look at Croland’s collection, never before offered at auction.
Photographs
5 October | New York