Lot Essay
Baron Adolph de Meyer was a figure whose career and artistic merit was closely linked to two arenas. Early on, his photographs were grasped by Stieglitz and the Photo-Secessionists, likely for their link to Symbolist art and the basic tenets of Pictorialism: atmosphere, high key lighting effects and sentiment. Stieglitz published de Meyer for the first time in Camera Work in October, 1908 (Number 24) and then again in October, 1912 (Number 40).
The second and final circle which occupied his oeuvre was that of fashion and editorial photography. De Meyer became the first staff photographer for both Vogue and Vanity Fair and later, Harper's Bazar. This lead to the reinvention of fashion photography, taking it out of the Edwardian Era and gracing it with a glamour and style that would predominate until a fully fledged Modernist aesthetic became de rigeur in the 1930s.
From 1927 until 1931 de Meyer created a series of advertisements for Elizabeth Arden from which the lot offered here was included (De Meyer: A Singular Elegance, pp. 116, 139). This series involved the use of a mannequin which, through the successive advertisements, was altered and adorned with human features. (See also: Christie's, April 23, 1990, lot 50).
In 1940, at the age of 72, de Meyer exhibited his work at the home of the film star Edward G. Robinson and his wife in Hollywood. In preparation of the exhibit de Meyer wrote Stieglitz on February 15, 1940: Do you think the museum would lend me my prints for two weeks for my exhibition at Edward G. Robinsons - the movie actor's house? Ed. R. has the most important collection of French Impressionists out here - he is a very charming man with great understanding for Art. De Meyer was referring to the Alfred Stieglitz Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, donated by Stieglitz in 1933. (Alfred Stieglitz Archive, Beinecke Rare Book Library, Yale University; c.f., Sotheby's, October 20, 1980, lot 149) Unable to locate vintage prints of many images, de Meyer reprinted many as enlargements on large sheets of Eastman Kodak paper (De Meyer: A Singular Elegance, p. 139). The print offered here is from that group as indicated by the Kodak stamp on the verso. This print may be unique.
The second and final circle which occupied his oeuvre was that of fashion and editorial photography. De Meyer became the first staff photographer for both Vogue and Vanity Fair and later, Harper's Bazar. This lead to the reinvention of fashion photography, taking it out of the Edwardian Era and gracing it with a glamour and style that would predominate until a fully fledged Modernist aesthetic became de rigeur in the 1930s.
From 1927 until 1931 de Meyer created a series of advertisements for Elizabeth Arden from which the lot offered here was included (De Meyer: A Singular Elegance, pp. 116, 139). This series involved the use of a mannequin which, through the successive advertisements, was altered and adorned with human features. (See also: Christie's, April 23, 1990, lot 50).
In 1940, at the age of 72, de Meyer exhibited his work at the home of the film star Edward G. Robinson and his wife in Hollywood. In preparation of the exhibit de Meyer wrote Stieglitz on February 15, 1940: Do you think the museum would lend me my prints for two weeks for my exhibition at Edward G. Robinsons - the movie actor's house? Ed. R. has the most important collection of French Impressionists out here - he is a very charming man with great understanding for Art. De Meyer was referring to the Alfred Stieglitz Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, donated by Stieglitz in 1933. (Alfred Stieglitz Archive, Beinecke Rare Book Library, Yale University; c.f., Sotheby's, October 20, 1980, lot 149) Unable to locate vintage prints of many images, de Meyer reprinted many as enlargements on large sheets of Eastman Kodak paper (De Meyer: A Singular Elegance, p. 139). The print offered here is from that group as indicated by the Kodak stamp on the verso. This print may be unique.