George H. Seeley

oversized multiple-process print, matted, circa 1910

Acquired by the present owner from Charles Isaacs Photographs, Malvern, 1986

This photograph, on textured paper with deckled top and left edges and a matte surface is in generally excellent condition. The print has soft charcoal-like gray tones and chalky white highlights. There is a dime-sized, warm-toned discoloration in the middle of the left margin, affecting the image very slightly. There is some faint speckled staining in the lower left corner. Each corner has one or more pinholes, placed there by the photographer for registering the print during the different phases of the printing process. These condition issues do not detract from the impressive 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 photograph, and that offered in Lot 113, are among the largest of Seeley's extant prints, few of which have appeared at auction.  The size of this print suggests that it was almost certainly intended for exhibition. 

Seeley was first introduced to the possibilities inherent in pictorial photography by F. Holland Day, whom he encountered while a young art student in Boston. Thereafter, working in and around his native Stockbridge, Seeley produced a body of work that met and exceeded Pictorialism's requirements.  Like Edward Steichen, with whom he was often compared, Seeley worked extensively with different photographic processes, modifying these to suit his vision, and experimenting with different paper types and finishes.  The photograph offered here, rendered in delicate gray tones on textured artist's paper, shows Seeley's careful choice of materials and his ability to turn them to his aesthetic use.  Weston Naef has noted that many of Seeley's photographs were taken early in the day when the quality of light best suited his vision (The Collection of Alfred Stieglitz: Fifty Pioneers of Modern Photography, p. 430).