Irving Penn

mounted, numbered in pencil, the photographer's credit/copyright/reproduction rights stamps, and Famous Photographers School lesson stamp, with letters and numbers in pencil, on the reverse, framed, 1947, printed no later than 1964 (Louis Bromfield, 'If You Take Care of Your Soil, It Will Take Care of You,' House & Garden, April 1947, p. 86, there in color; Passage, p. 31 and Still Life, unpaginated, variants without model)

This print was produced no later than 1964, when the three volumes for the Famous Photographers Course were published. This print, on paper with a slight surface sheen and mounted on white board, is in generally very good condition. The edges are slightly rubbed, and there is a tiny loss of emulsion at the lower edge. When examined in raking light, the following are visible: small areas of retouching; and a barely perceptible raised area, where air or a particle was trapped between the photograph and the mount during the mounting process. There are red ink guide marks on the front of the mount. The mount's edges are rubbed, and the upper left corner is bumped. On the reverse of the mount is yellowed adhesive staining, likely from a prior mounting. The FPS lesson notations on the reverse of the mount indicate that it was considered for use for Famous Photographers Schools' Lesson 14 (Still Life). It was not published as part of Lesson 14 on page 11, as the lesson and page numbers on the reverse of the mount indicate. The lesson stamp on the reverse of the mount has annotations 'E' (circled), 'OK' (circled), and 'S' (circled) in pencil.
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.

The caption from House & Garden reads,

'A genre photograph by Irving Penn evokes the immutable charm of country life' (p. 87).