Dorothea Lange

warm-toned, signed and dated in pencil on the image, mounted, annotated 'John was 2 years old.  Made in Lone Pine' in red crayon on the reverse, 1930

This early print, on warm-toned double-weight matte-surface paper, is in generally excellent condition. It is lifting slightly from the dry-mounting tissue at the upper right corners. The edges of the print are very slightly rubbed, and there is minor, tiny chipping at the lower right corner. The corners of the buff-colored mount are bumped.
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.

In 1920, Dorothea Lange married Maynard Dixon (1875-1946), an artist and illustrator twenty years her senior.  Already known for his Western landscapes at the time, Dixon cut an exotic figure in San Francisco, with his cowboy boots and sunburned face.  During the fifteen years of their marriage, his career flourished.  This photograph was taken in Lone Pine, California, on one of the couple's many escapes from city life.  As Lange notes on the reverse of the mount, their second son, John Eaglefeather Dixon, was two years old in 1930, when this portrait was made.