PROPERTY FROM THE SUZANNE AND HUGH JOHNSTON WEEGEE COLLECTION The following five lots were acquired directly from Weegee by the present owners, Hugh and Suzanne Johnston. As Suzanne Burrey and Hugh Johnston, they were Associate Editors at Industrial Design magazine when they met Weegee (Arthur Fellig) in 1956. During the several years when they were acquiring their collection, the Johnston's and Weegee were working together as colleagues in shooting experimental motion picture footage with Weegee's innovative lenses. Weegee was assisted by the Johnstons when he shot a test reel of New York City's famous landmarks. This work led to his being commissioned by producer Louis de Rochemont as the director of a major sequence in the Cinemiracle feature production, Windjammer (1958).

WEEGEE

Self-Portrait with Chimp

Details

WEEGEE
Self-Portrait with Chimp
Gelatin silver print. 1950s. Collection stamp on the verso.
9½ x 7 7/8in. (24.2 x 20cm.)

Lot Essay

In Suzanne Johnston's words, "Weegee was proud of this photograph as a self-portrait and published it in his autobiography Weegee by Weegee (1961). The two photographers together - the amused glance Weegee gives out of the corner of his eye toward the chimp shows how much he enjoyed his close contact with the fully dressed and well-trained adult chimpanzee. It also shows that he felt kinship and respect for this intelligent and expressive animal. This is a self-portrait with multiple revelations about Weegee, as the clever person that he was, with a lively sense of humor, as well as a skillfull and imaginative photographer."