Modern and Contemporary Photography at Drouot

Between 1890 and 1914, Pictorialism occupied a pivotal position in the history of photography. Derived from the English word “picture”, meaning “image”, the movement emerged from the ambition to establish photography as a fine art. Two vintage gelatin silver prints by Alfred Enke (V323-104), Woman with a Flower and Woman with a Veil, dating from 1899–1902, are fine examples of this movement, with estimates ranging from €2,000 to €4,000 respectively.

A pioneer of French photography, Louis Robert developed a photographic practice from the 1850s onwards, shaped by his work at the Sèvres porcelain manufactory. His photographs, including the work offered in this sale, Sèvres Manufactory, Staircase in the Snow, 1852, illustrate the early uses of photography in the decorative arts, combining documentation, technical research and aesthetic ambition (estimate: €1,800–2,500).

Through his views and compositions, he helped establish photography as a new means of representing France's industrial and artistic heritage in the 19th century.

Eugène Disdéri's Portrait of Mr. Frédéric Henry Tudor, 1862, comes from Disdéri's studio archive. It was rescued from destruction for General Rebora, who subsequently gave it to his friend, the collector Maurice Levert (estimate: €700–900).

A major 20th-century photographer, Fritz Henle developed an eclectic body of work guided by a constant pursuit of harmony and beauty. From portraiture to fashion photography, from the nude to landscape photography, his work is distinguished by elegant lines, masterful use of light and a classical approach that lends his images a remarkable timelessness. This is exemplified by Yucca, The Desert, New Mexico, taken in 1943, estimated at €300–500.

The sale also features three prints by leading masters of photography: Helmut Newton, Richard Avedon and Herb Ritts.
These include a portrait of Dorothy McGowan, Yves Saint Laurent Fashion, Harper's Bazaar, 1962–1963, by Richard Avedon (estimate: €3,000–5,000); Nudes on the Sand, by Herb Ritts (estimate: €5,000–8,000); and Diving Tower, Old Beach Hotel, photographed by Helmut Newton in Monte-Carlo in 1981 (estimate: €15,000–20,000).
 

Another contemporary photographer featured in the sale is René Groebli. The auction includes 12 prints from 2017, exploring the nude at different stages of his career, notably in the 1950s and again in the early 2000s (estimate: €12,000–18,000).

Finally, Japanese photographer Shoji Ueda created several compositions of nudes in the dunes of Tottori, in black and white, characterised by minimalist staging and an almost surreal atmosphere. Nude on the Dune, 1948–1950, is a 1999 gelatin silver print, signed in pencil and estimated at €3,000–5,000.