László Moholy-Nagy

a unique object, signed, dated, inscribed 'fotogramm' and 'original' in pencil and red crayon, and with the photographer's 'berlin-chbg. 9, fredericiastr. 27 atelier' studio stamp on the reverse, framed, Buhl Collection and Guggenheim Museum exhibition labels on the reverse, 1925

The photographer to Otto Eisler, Brno, Czechoslovakia

The estate of Otto Eisler

Sotheby's London, 6 May 1999, Sale 9306, Lot 295

New York, Guggenheim Museum, Speaking with Hands: Photographs from The Buhl Collection, June - September 2004, and 4 other international venues through 2007 (see Appendix 1)

West Palm Beach, Norton Museum of Art, A Show of Hands: Photographs and Sculpture from the Buhl Collection, January - March 2008

Seoul, South Korea, Daelim Contemporary Art Museum, Speaking with Hands: Photographs from The Buhl Collection (Asian tour), March - May 2009, and 2 other Asian venues through 2011 (see Appendix 1)

This unique object:

Jennifer Blessing, Speaking with Hands: Photographs from The Buhl Collection (Guggenheim Foundation, 2004), cover, pp. 29 and 234

Herbert Molderings, Floris M. Neusüss, and Renate Heyne, Moholy-Nagy: The Photograms: Catalogue Raisonné (Ostfildern, 2009), fgm 180

This photogram is on double-weight paper with a nearly matte surface. It is essentially in excellent condition. The faint silvering that appears in the print's darkest area is appropriate for a print of this age. There is faint rippling along the top edge of the print. There are discreet minute chips on the corners and edges, only visible upon close examination. Close and prolonged examination reveals the presence of original or old retouching visible in the lower right corner and the upper left corner. None of these issues detracts in a meaningful way from the impact of this impressive unique image.On the reverse, in addition to Moholy's notations and stamps, is a red rectangular stamp.
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 this unique work, Moholy-Nagy has not only repurposed a technique dating from photography’s invention, but has also chosen subject matter—his own hand—used by some of the earliest artists.  Like the prehistoric cave artist who made hand prints upon the tabula rasa of a rock wall, Moholy-Nagy has placed his hand upon a blank sheet of photographic paper and exposed it to light.  That the hand was, and continues to be, an intuitive choice for photographers making photograms is demonstrated by a number of works in the Buhl Collection, including those by Man Ray (Lot 5), August Sander (Lot 19), Adam Fuss (Lot 167), James Welling (Lot 326), and others.

The basic instructions for making a photogram are simple: an object, or a selection of objects, is placed directly onto a sheet of photographic paper and exposed to light.  Where the objects prevent light from reaching the surface, the paper remains unexposed and, consequently, light in tone; the uncovered portion of the paper, which receives full exposure to light, turns dark.  The photogram technique was central to Moholy-Nagy’s conception of photography.  If one could master the skill of manipulating light directly onto a light-sensitive surface, he reasoned, making successful images with a camera would follow. 

The Buhl Collection photogram presents a prime example of Moholy-Nagy’s use of the process to create compositions that are both graphically forceful and remarkably nuanced.  At least two separate exposures were used in making this image.  For the first exposure, Moholy-Nagy would have placed his hand directly onto the piece of photographic paper and exposed it to light.  For the second exposure, the hand was placed on the paper in the opposite orientation, partially overlapping the position of the hand from the first exposure.  The merging of the two separate hand images creates a composition that surpasses literal recording.  It is a self-portrait whose subject is the hand of its maker. 

This photogram rewards close examination, which reveals a myriad of details.  The fingertips appear brighter than other areas of the primary hand, indicating that they were held on the paper with a greater degree of pressure.  The faint outline of fingernails can be seen, as well.  These features create a convincing sense of three-dimensionality. The presence of the straight line, visible in the palm of the primary hand, suggests that Moholy-Nagy may have exposed this image yet a third time, or incorporated another object into the composition. 

This photogram comes originally from the collection of the Czech architect Otto Eisler (1893-1968).  After completing his studies, Eisler worked in a number of architectural firms, including that of Walter Gropius.   During World War II, Eisler was imprisoned at Auschwitz and then Buchenwald.  After the war, he returned to his home town of Brno, where he resumed his architectural practice.  This photogram was part of a group of photographs from Eisler’s collection, sold by his descendants at Sotheby’s London in 1999, that included work by Moholy-Nagy, Paul Citroen, and others.