DEVELOPING CONNOISSEURSHIP: PHOTOGRAPHY in New York City

 

Wednesday, April 25, 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Thursday, April 26, 9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., 2007.

 

A new world record for a single photograph was set on February 7, 2007 for Andreas Gursky's “99-cent II,” a large-scale digital diptych: $3.4 million - at Sotheby's in London.

 

What’s it all about?

 

A new connoisseurship course focused on photography will be led by photography expert Lorraine Anne Davis, AAA. This intensive two-day workshop will take place on Wednesday, April 25, and on Thursday, April 26.

 

Download Schedule and Application Form (Microsoft Word)

 

We will begin on Wednesday, April 25, at Sotheby's with a tour of “Photographs from the Private Collection of Margaret W. Weston.” Maggie Weston was married to Cole Weston, the youngest son of Edward Weston. Maggie has owned the Weston Gallery in Carmel, California and has been a serious (and well-connected) dealer and collector for many, many years. This sale promises to be one of the highlights of the 2007 photography art market, with prime, blue-chip works coming up for sale and all the big players at the auction. We will have a walk-through of Maggie Weston's sale and their regular photography sale which will be on view at the same time. We will inspect several pieces first-hand, taking them out of their frames to get a closer look and Ms. Davis will discuss the various aspects of judging and identifying a photographic print. In addition, Ms. Denise Bethel, Dept. Head, Photography, will give us a short tour and talk to us about Sotheby's Photography Department and the current photography market climate.

 

After lunch, we will reconvene at the Andrew Roth Gallery nearby to see an exhibition of Robert Heinecken's seminal "photo-graphist" magazine works. Heinecken represents a cross-over between photography and graphic arts and was far ahead of his time. He died in 2006 and his work is now becoming extremely collectible.

 

That evening, as an optional component to the program, we will attend the Maggie Weston Sale which will begin at 6:00 p.m. at Sotheby's - there may be some record breakers....so perhaps we can hazard a few guesses on possible hammer prices in the morning and see how close we get. Ms. Davis will be there to answer questions and point out some of the important curators, collectors and dealers that are bidding.

 

On Thursday, April 26, we will assemble in the morning at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for a visit to the museum’s Prints and Photographs Room which will be reserved for our group; a selection of photographs from the collection will be out for us that will span the history of photography and the mediums used. Participants will receive a glossary of terms and a time-line for reference. Ms. Davis will give a brief talk about the history of photography and we will look at as many processes as possible.

 

After lunch, we will view “Discovering Tutankhamen: The Photographs of Harry Burton,” and discuss the problems of appraising a photography archive.

 

“HARRY BURTON: On November 4, 1922, after a seven-year search, the British archaeologist Howard Carter discovered the tomb of the pharaoh Tutankhamen. On November 24 in the presence of his sponsor, Lord Carnarvon, he opened the tomb and found "wonderful things." Carter soon realized the enormous task that lay ahead in removing, recording, and preserving the thousands of objects that filled the four chambers of the tomb. He sought the assistance of The Metropolitan Museum of Art and its Theban Expedition, which generously lent several staff members, including the photographer Harry Burton. Over the next ten years, Burton photographed many of the more than 5,000 objects found in Tut's tomb, both in situ and in his studio, on some 1,400 glass-plate negatives. In addition to his work in black and white, Burton also photographed many objects in color and made movies of the objects as they were removed from the tomb.”

 

“Harry Burton (1879–1940) was trained in art photography in Florence, Italy. In 1914 he went to Egypt to photograph the Theban tombs for the Museum. His masterful use of natural and artificial light, as well as his experience and high standards, makes the photographs not only valuable scientific records but also works of art. Burton remained in Egypt after The Metropolitan ceased excavating in 1935, and continued to record the monuments. He died there in 1940 and is buried in the American cemetery in Asyut. The exhibition includes Harry Burton's spectacular black-and-white images of the entrance passage to the tomb, the opening of the sealed chambers inside, the first view of the contents and removal of the objects, and the beautifully made and decorated treasures that were found. The four chambers of the tomb were crammed with objects such as gold-covered chariots; elaborately inlaid furniture and chests; a vast array of the king's personal belongings, including jewelry; a series of shrines and coffins that protected the king; and the famous solid-gold mask that adorned his mummy—one of the most iconic examples of ancient Egyptian art ever to have come to light.” (From the MET web site).

 

 Instructor: Lorraine Davis, AAA, is currently revising and updating Lee Witkin’s 1979 The Photograph Collector’s Guide, being published by Aperture, spring 2009, and A Guidebook to Appraising Photographs for Appraisers and Collectors Spring 2008. She writes the column ‘What’s it Worth’ about appraising photographs for Black and White Magazine for Collectors of Fine Art Photography.

 
PO Box 420381 Dallas, TX 75342-0381 (505) 310-0661