MoMA Auction 400 Analogue Photographs at Christie’s

The Museum of Modern Art became the first museum in America to devote a department to photography, which currently includes over 30,000 modern and contemporary photographs. In a review of its’ collection MoMA has decided to auction off 400 photographs in an attempt to ‘refine’ their collection.

The prints, which will be sold by Christie’s in a series of themed auctions from October 2017 to April 2018, include some of the most internationally renown practitioners of analogue photography, from mid-19th century to early post-war. “It’s essentially the history of MoMA’s exhibition programs reflected in this group” explains Darius Himes, the International Head of Photographs at Christie’s.

Photographers include Man Ray, whose ‘Rayograph’ photograms have an estimate of $150,000 to $300,000, Ansel Adams whose ‘Clearing Winter Storm’ print is expected to fetch $60,000-$80,000, and Henri Cartier-Bresson whose ‘Behind the Gare St. Lazare, Paris’ has been given an estimate of $12,000-$18,000.

The sales will benefit the museum’s photography acquisitions fund, with the first auction taking place this week on the 5th October 2017.

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