Oct 17, 2019 - Sale 2520

Sale 2520 - Lot 176

Price Realized: $ 4,500
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 4,000 - $ 6,000
ALFRED EISENSTAEDT (1898-1995)
Swan Lake rehearsal at the Paris Opera, 1932. Ferrotyped silver print, the image measuring 7 3/4x10 1/8 inches (19.7x25.7 cm.), the mount 9x14 inches (22.9x35.6 cm ), with a PIX label with the title, date, and citation ("This image was published in 'Camera Around the World'") and hand stamps and bar code labels, on mount verso. 1932

Additional Details

From The National Geographic Collection: The Art of Exploration, Christie's, New York, December 6, 2012, lot 38.

Eisenstadt was an early master of the photo essay. National Geographic commissioned an essay by the photographer of the Paris Opera Ballet and its School. Founded in 1669, it is an integral part of the Paris Opera. The great Serge Lifar was appointed as Director of the company in 1930 with the goal of restoring its historic technical excellence, and was present at the time of Eisenstadt's photo essay. This image shows the ballerinas in various stages of repose paying close attention to the authoritative "Maître de Ballet."