A remarkable auction at Christie's in Paris has resulted in the sale of a rare photograph by surrealist artist Man Ray for €151,200 ($162,025), including the buyer’s premium, surpassing the expected range of €40,000 to €60,000 ($42,860 to $64,300). This auction, which featured one of the three prints produced from the original 1970 negative of Man Ray’s muse, Kiki de Montparnasse, highlights the enduring appeal and value of authentic, vintage photographic art.
This significant sale occurred on April 11 and was part of a larger event showcasing 200 works from the collection of art historian Marion Meyer, who acquired these pieces through her personal connections with Man Ray. Meyer, who first met the artist in the late 1960s, assembled a vast array of his works, ranging from early Dadaist pieces created in New York during the 1910s to his later assemblages.
Christie's described the collection as "among the most comprehensive of the artist's oeuvre, reflecting his artistic journey across different periods and mediums." The auction included not only photographs but also sculptures like the iconic 1921 Cadeau, a flat iron adorned with nails, and several paintings such as All’s Well That Ends Well (1948), which alone fetched €264,600 ($284,000).
Other items from the Man Ray collection also greatly exceeded their estimates. Noteworthy sales included a chess set that reached €201,600 ($216,000), an "Objet indestructible" metronome at €90,720 ($97,300), and Pain Peint, an artwork featuring two blue resin baguettes, which sold for €176,400 ($189,000).
Jean Dubreil