Lot description
Yousuf Karsh [Ottawa, Canada], ca. 1980s Yousuf Karsh (40) Bleed Mounted Photographs From 1988 London Exhibition, Ex. Karsh Estate Archive A collection of 40 silver gelatin bleed mounted photographs by Armenian-Canadian photograph Yousuf Karsh (1908-2002), retained in his personal collection. Each measuring 19.75" x 23.75", these images had been by Karsh's direction specially reduced in sized and mounted on stiff board for the 1988 retrospective exhibition at London's Barbican Gallery, which coincided with Karsh's 80th birthday. Highlighted subjects include Ernest Hemingway, Muhammad Ali, Brigitte Bardot, Joan Crawford, Prince Rainer & Princess Grace, the crew of Apollo 11, among many others. The majority feature handwritten captions on verso, with photographer's stamp present to some. Exhibits minor surface defects and corner wear throughout, as expected with a lot of this size. Intermittent curling to mounts. Overall, very well preserved. Accompanied by an official label of provenance and Estrellita Karsh Estate Certificate of Authenticity. These photographs were produced for Karsh's 80th birthday exhibition at the Barbican in London, organized by the International Center for Photography (ICP) and sponsored by Merrill Lynch. It displayed over 150 of the photographer's most notable subjects, including the famous 'Roaring Lion' portrait of Winston Churchill. Upon leaving the Barbican Gallery, the exhibition moved to Paris where it would be shown at the Palais de Tokyo. Due to its popularity, the ICP decided that the material would continue to travel across Europe, sometimes in smaller-scale venues. It was at this point when some photographs were evidently cut down to accommodate plastic cube frames, commonly used for easy shipping and installation. Karsh Estate Provenance: Held by the Estate of Yousuf & Estrellita Karsh; after Yousuf's death in 2002 passing to Estrellita Karsh; after Estrellita's death in March 2025 passing to Katherine Getchell, Co-Executor, Estrellita Karsh Estate and Personal Representative of Estrellita Karsh. Comprises the following images: - Christian Dior (1954) - Pierre Soulages (1965) - Brigitte Bardot (1958) - Buckminster Fuller (1980) - Joan Crawford (1948) - Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco (1956) - Crew of Apollo 11: Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins (1969) - Claudio Arrau at piano (1980) - W. H. Auden (1972) - Jean-Louis Barrault (1949) - Pablo Casals (1954) - Katharine Cornell (1947) - Alfred Cortot (1954) - Cecil B. DeMille (1956) - Anita Ekberg (1956) - Georges Enesco (1954) - Muhammad Ali, hands (1970) - Ernest Hemingway (1957) - Boris Karloff (1946) - Estrellita Karsh (1963) - Jacqueline Kennedy (1957) - Peter Lorre (1946) - Giacomo Manzu (1970) - Francois Mauriac (1949) - Joan Miró (1965) - Barnett Newman (1969) - Isamu Noguchi (1980) - J. Arthur Rank (1949) - Jean-Paul Riopelle (1965) - Eleanor Roosevelt (1944) - Morley Safer (1977) - George Shattuck (1960) - Alan Shepard (1968) - Jean Sibelius (1949) - Georg Solti (1987) - Zulu women with gourds (1963) - Dame Kiri Te Kanawa (1987) - Pierre Elliot Trudeau (1968) - Kurt Weill (1946) - Harold Wilson (1949) Yousuf Karsh (1908–2002) is recognized as one of the leading photographers of the twentieth century. Arriving in Canada in 1924 as an Armenian refugee, Karsh eventually settled in Ottawa. Over six decades, he mastered the art of portraiture and created a unique chronicle of his time through images of celebrated legends. Some of his most notable subjects include Winston Churchill, Audrey Hepburn, Martin Luther King, Jr., John F. Kennedy, and Ernest Hemingway, among others. A celebrity in his own right, he was an elegant and charming public figure, captivating audiences with compelling stories told in images and words. Karsh sought to capture, as he put it, the "elusive moment of truth," revealing the essential nature of his subjects as reflected in their eyes, hands, and attitudes. Please see our Terms and Conditions regarding large lots. This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses. WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!