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Lot Essay
Model Henriette Allais assumes the role of 'Big Nude III' in this image by Helmut Newton that has become one of the most widely-published, recognisable and emblematic of his photographs. It seems to define the concept of the Newton woman -- powerful, assertive, and coolly confrontational. The subject's carefully directed pose and the sense of her towering stature -- exaggerated by a low camera angle that gives the viewer the sensation of gazing up at her, even on the printed page -- contribute to the indelible impact of the picture. Yet this image that has come to represent the photographer so universally is in one respect apparently uncharacteristic of his work. For Newton very rarely worked against a plain studio backdrop. The very idea was anathema to him. He always liked to situate his figures in an environment. Newton's modus operandi involved the reconstruction in heightened, concentrated pictorial form of details, gestures and scenarios that he had observed in life.
The Big Nude series in fact had its origin in something Newton had observed. He has explained how in 1980 he came across a series of press photos showing the offices of the special branch of the German police responsible for catching the Bader-Meinhof terrorists. These showed full-length, life-size photographs of members of the group fixed to the walls, while other images were visible on computer monitors. These photos gave Newton an idea for a Vogue feature that would replicate the set-up but feature naked female figures instead of terrorists. His working title for the series was 'The Terrorists', but he soon changed this to 'The Big Nudes'. An open commission to shoot a series of nudes for a calendar for the magazine Myster gave him the opportunity to shoot a second series in 1990. Three further images were added in 1991 and a final series was executed in 1993 bringing the total sequence to XXI. 'Big Nude III' has become the undisputed icon of the series.
Newton first exhibited the Big Nudes as life-sized prints at the Daniel Templon Gallery in Paris in October - November 1981. Presenting prints of this scale was a dramatic, though in this instance entirely logical departure. The show happened at, and perhaps stimulated a turning point in Newton's career. He had always been principally focused on making pictures for the printed page. While this remained his primary means of connecting with his audience, from around 1980 demand from collectors for his work increased and Newton started to number his prints in editions. Reference to the few known prints of 'Big Nude III' in this size, however, reveals certain anomalies in the edition. The present print is numbered '3/13'. Newton had intended to make a larger edition, but early on decided to cap the edition at three. Two prints were in fact given the same number and there exists another print numbered '3', identified as '3 of 3'. Newton had also confirmed the existence of a very small number of prints 'hors commerce', never intended for sale. No doubt in time it will be possible to create a full census of the life-size prints of this important image. What is certain is that the number of prints in existence is very small -- most likely less than the originally intended edition.
The present print enjoyed a colourful history, acquired for and until recently hanging in a bordello in Frankfurt, much to the delight of the photographer.
The Big Nude series in fact had its origin in something Newton had observed. He has explained how in 1980 he came across a series of press photos showing the offices of the special branch of the German police responsible for catching the Bader-Meinhof terrorists. These showed full-length, life-size photographs of members of the group fixed to the walls, while other images were visible on computer monitors. These photos gave Newton an idea for a Vogue feature that would replicate the set-up but feature naked female figures instead of terrorists. His working title for the series was 'The Terrorists', but he soon changed this to 'The Big Nudes'. An open commission to shoot a series of nudes for a calendar for the magazine Myster gave him the opportunity to shoot a second series in 1990. Three further images were added in 1991 and a final series was executed in 1993 bringing the total sequence to XXI. 'Big Nude III' has become the undisputed icon of the series.
Newton first exhibited the Big Nudes as life-sized prints at the Daniel Templon Gallery in Paris in October - November 1981. Presenting prints of this scale was a dramatic, though in this instance entirely logical departure. The show happened at, and perhaps stimulated a turning point in Newton's career. He had always been principally focused on making pictures for the printed page. While this remained his primary means of connecting with his audience, from around 1980 demand from collectors for his work increased and Newton started to number his prints in editions. Reference to the few known prints of 'Big Nude III' in this size, however, reveals certain anomalies in the edition. The present print is numbered '3/13'. Newton had intended to make a larger edition, but early on decided to cap the edition at three. Two prints were in fact given the same number and there exists another print numbered '3', identified as '3 of 3'. Newton had also confirmed the existence of a very small number of prints 'hors commerce', never intended for sale. No doubt in time it will be possible to create a full census of the life-size prints of this important image. What is certain is that the number of prints in existence is very small -- most likely less than the originally intended edition.
The present print enjoyed a colourful history, acquired for and until recently hanging in a bordello in Frankfurt, much to the delight of the photographer.