artnet Marilyn Monroe Photographs Sale
Published February 10th, 2009
From February 10-24 artnet Online Auctions will feature a special sale of 60 photographs of the legendary screen icon Marilyn Monroe by renowned photographers including Bert Stern, George Barris, Alfred Eisenstaedt, Ken Galente, and George Zimbel. The sale chronicles Monroe’s rise from a young ingénue to the height of fame just weeks before her tragic death.
Leading the sale is a portfolio of nine limited edition prints taken at Monroe’s last session with Bert Stern in 1962 for America Vogue known as “The Last Sitting”. It was believed that these transparencies, now known as “The Lost Sitting” were lost forever, until they were recently discovered, recovered and restored. Included in this collection is a portfolio of six images of Marilyn Monroe as Jacqueline Kennedy (estimate for the portfolio: $20,000-30,000).
Other works in the sale reveal Monroe’s transformation from a young Norma Jean to a glamorous screen siren. A rare portfolio of 12 vintage prints taken by Andre De Dienes from 1945-1953 captures the youthful innocence of the undiscovered ingénue (estimate: $4,500-5,500) while her emergence as starlet is masterfully captured in three 1949 gelatin silver prints by Laszlo Willinger (estimates: $750-1,200).
A luminous Monroe is captured on her honeymoon with Joe DiMaggio in five 1954 gelatin silver prints by Kashio Aoki (estimates: $700-900 each). The sale also features classic black and white photographs from “The Seven Year Itch” by Ken Galente (estimate: $800-$1,000) and George Zimbel (estimate: $2,000-2,500).
Rounding out the sale is a group of 15 color photographs from The Last Photos taken by George Barris in 1962. The series depicts an exuberant Monroe laughing, flirting and enjoying the Santa Monica surf in what would be the final year of her life.
Sale Contacts:
Christopher Sweet
Photography Specialist
csweet@artnet.com
+1 212 497 9700 ext. 165
Susanna Wenniger
Photography Specialist
swenniger@artnet.com
+1 212 497-9700 ext. 172
Max Wolf
Auctions Specialist
mwolf@artnet.com
+1 212 497-9700 ext. 399
www.artnetonlineauctions.com
