The Vicente Wolf Photography Collection

Christie’s is delighted to offer The Vicente Wolf Photography Collection this October as a two-part single-owner-sale, including both live and online auction components. The exceptional photographs in this collection have been lovingly assembled over the course of nearly half a century by Wolf, a famed and internationally celebrated figure in the world of interior design. Vicente Wolf has been sought out for his impressive eye, attention to detail, and range as a creative visionary. While building a successful business and name for himself in the design world, he simultaneously refined his eye as a prolific and passionate collector of photographic prints, originating with advice given to him by Richard Avedon. 

Within this impressive collection are a vast range of subject matters and genres, with pieces by some of the most esteemed names in 20th century European and American photography—including Alexander Rodchenko, Constantin Brâncuși, Man Ray, Edward Weston, Lee Miller, Diane Arbus, André Kertész, Francesca Woodman and Richard Avedon. There are a number of canonical images of American Modernism from the 1920s-30s, including Wind Fire, a superb portrait of Thérèse Duncan by Edward Steichen and an early FSA print of Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange—arguably the most famous American photograph of the twentieth century.

The live auction component of the collection also includes rare, fresh-to-market works hailing from avant-garde movements across Europe in the early decades of the 20th century, notably Italian Futurism, Surrealism, and Constructivism. This grouping includes a unique collaborative photomontage by Rodchenko and Varvara Stepanova as well as portraits by Man Ray and Lee Miller; and extremely rare works by Tato, Umbo, Raoul Ubac and Bauhaus trained Japanese photographer and architect Iwao Yamawaki, along with a stunning portrait by German photographer Else Neulander. Even more personality, texture and dimension comes through in the anonymous press print featuring Marilyn Monroe which was hand-masked as a mock-up for the very first cover of Playboy in 1953.

Estimates across the live auction range from US$3,000 to US$200,000.