Imogen Cunningham

selenium-toned, the photographer's '1331 Green St., San Francisco 9' studio stamp and reprocessing notations in pencil on the reverse, 1920s, probably printed in the 1940s; accompanied by a copy of a letter of authenticity signed by Rondal Partridge

Sotheby's New York, 7 April 1998, Sale 7112, Lot 97

Imogen Cunningham: The Modernist Years (Tokyo, 1993), cover and unpaginated

Richard Lorenz, Imogen Cunningham: Flora (Boston, 1996), pl. 20

Richard Lorenz, Imogen Cunningham: 1883-1976 (Cologne, 2001), p. 199

Imogen! Imogen Cunningham Photographs 1910-1973 (Seattle, 1974), p. 67

Richard Lorenz, Imogen Cunningham: Ideas without End, A Life in Photographs (San Francisco, 1993), pl. 32

Van Deren Coke and Diana C. Dupont, Photography: A Facet of Modernism, Photographs from the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, 1986), pl. 5

This early, selenium-toned print of Cunningham's modernist agave study is in generally very good condition. Visible upon close examination in the upper left quadrant are two areas that appear slightly lighter in tonality. This is possibly due to a flaw in the negative and does not appear to be a feature of the print itself. In raking light, several small, sharp creases are visible overall, some of which appear to break the emulsion. There is a small loss to the lower left margin corner. The margin corners are worn and rounded. None of these issues affects the overall attractive appearance of this early print. On the reverse of the print, 'Fixed, Washed, Selenium Toned Aug 86 - RP' is written in an unidentified hand in pencil. The reverse is lightly soiled, and there is an 'X' in red pencil in the lower left corner. Also on the reverse are abrasions and small adhesive remnants in the corners. This photograph is accompanied by a copy of a letter of authenticity from Rondal Partridge, the photographer’s son, dated '13 Oct 86.' It reads: 'Imogen Cunningham made the original negative of Agave Design 1 [underlined] in the 1920s. This print dates from the 1940s. A copy of the image was included in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art's exhibition, "Photography's Response to Constructivism, March-June, 1980." This is authenticated by Rondal Partridge, Imogen Cunningham's son, Trustee of the Imogen Cunningham Trust.'
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.