Man Ray
(1890 - 1976)
Recognized for his avant-garde photography and modernist paintings, Man Ray was born in Philadelphia but lived most of his creative life in Paris. Having taught himself photography in order to produce his own works of art, he moved to Paris in 1921, commenced a close friendship with Marcel Duchamp, and began producing photograms which he referred to as “Rayographs.” It is here that he also made four films, though these didn’t gain him much attention in the United States. Man Ray’s paintings and sculpture, from landscape paintings to abstract representational pieces, span many genres, including Surrealism, Dadaism, and Cubism. In the years leading up to World War II, Man Ray moved to Los Angeles and worked as a fashion photographer while still creating increasingly abstract paintings and collages. He returned permanently to Paris in 1951 where he continued to produce revolutionary painting, sculpture, and photography until his death in 1976.
Literature:
“Man Ray.” The J. Paul Getty Museum. Getty.edu, 2011. Web. 15 Nov. 2011.
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- Lot 279
- Man Ray
- Lampshade (Abat-jour)
- 1920; 1964
- Edition MAT Enameled metal
- From the edition of 100
- Based on the original paper lampshade design by Man Ray from 1920 for an exhibition at the Société Anonyme. The paper design was mistakenly destroyed. The artist reproduced the lampshade in limited editions throughout the mid-to-late 1950s and early 1960s.
- 14″ x 18″ diameter
- Literature: Palazzoli, Daniela and Gilbert Perlein, Man Ray: rétrospective 1912-1976, Nice: Musée d’art moderne et d’art contemporain, 1997, #84.
- December 16, 2012 Auction
- Estimate: $10,000 – 15,000
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- Lot 195
- Man Ray
- Cadeau/Gift
- Produced by Luciano Anselmino, Turin, Italy 1921/1974
- Iron with patina and metal tacks
- #4102 of 5000
- Sold with signed certificate
- 6.25″ x 4″ x 4″
- May 6, 2012 Auction
- Estimate: $1,500 – $2,000
- Realized: $1,250
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- Lot 279
- Man Ray
- Chess set
- 1962
- Enamel and metal inlay
- Chessboard mounted on wood with polished brass chess pieces
- #47 of 50
- Signed “Man Ray 1962″ on the board; signed with the edition on the king
- 3.75″ x 39.5″ x 22.5″
- Tashjian, Dickran. Man Ray: Paris-LA, Santa Monica: Smart Art Press, 1996. p 73-75.
- December 11, 2011 Auction
- Estimate: $30,000 – $40,000
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- Lot 3
- Man Ray
- Untitled (Self Portait)
- 1951
- Vintage Silver Gelatin print
- Inscribed, signed, and dated recto
- Sheet: 6.5″ x 4.5″
- Provenance: Estate of James Byrnes
- June 26, 2011 Auction
- Estimate: $2,000 – $3,000
- Realized: $5,938
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- Lot 2
- Man Ray
- Untitled (Self Portrait)
- Circa 1946
- Vintage photograph
- #45 of 50
- Signed lower right; edition lower left; ink stamp verso “Man Ray Paris”; Sheet: 9.75″ x 7″
- Provenance: Estate of James Byrnes
- June 26, 2011 Auction
- Estimate: $,2000 – $3,000
- Realized: $2,813
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- Lot 5
- Man Ray
- Sculpture Liege
- 1926, printed later (before 1950)
- Vintage Silver Gelatin print
- Signature and dated verso “Man Ray” in ball point pen
- Sheet: 6.875″h x 4″
- Provenance: Estate of James Byrnes
- June 26, 2011 Auction
- Estimate: $1,500 – $2,000
- Realized: $1,500
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- Lot 1
- Man Ray
- Untitled (Artist Studio, Paris)
- 1952
- Vintage Silver Gelatin print
- Inscribed on plastic overleaf “1952 Greetings Juliet and Man Ray”
- Sheet: 6.875″ x 9.25″
- Provenance: Estate of James Byrnes
- June 26, 2011 Auction
- Estimate: $2,000 – $3,000
- Realized $5,000
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- Lot 4
- Man Ray
- Untitled (Chess Match, Gloria and William) and five others (6)
- Circa 1948-1951
- Vintage Silver Gelatin print (3) & Vintage Silver Gelatin contact print (3)
- One signed and inscribed verso
- Together with five other works: Untitled (Self Portrait with William Copley and Painting); two are Untitled (Man Ray & Juliet with friends on the eve of departing Los Angeles); Untitled (Still Life of Chess Set) signed and inscribed verso; and Untitled (Portrait William Copley and Gloria de Herrera in front of Man Ray painting)
- Dimensions vary, largest sheet 10″ x 8″
- Provenance: Estate of James Byrnes
- June 26, 2011 Auction
- Estimate: $6,000 – $9,000
- Realized: $7,500
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- Lot 326
- Man Ray
- In-Destructable
- 1923-1975
- Mixed media
- #33 of 200
- Retains label “Edition The New York Cultural Center/Objet In-Destructible 1923-1975″ and signed “MR” and numbered 33/200
- 9.25″h x 4.5″ x 4.5″
- Provenance: From the collection of James Byrnes, Los Angeles
- March 6, 2011 Auction
- Estimate: $2,000 – $3,000
- Realized: $7,500