Mighty Penn at Sworders

Essex’s Sworders Fine Art Auctioneers is to sell a still life work by celebrated photographer, Irving Penn (1917-2009), with an estimate of between £12,000-£15,000.

Irving Penn (1917-2009) COCOA DRESS (BALENCIAGA), LISA FONSSAGRIVES-PENN, PARISThe image, Cocoa Dress (Balenciaga), Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn, Paris, is typical of Penn’s stark still life shots, turning a relatively ordinary object into something beautiful.

Best known as both a fashion photographer for the likes of Vogue and a still life photographer, Penn is one of the most sought-after American artists of recent times.

He exhibited widely and his work appears in many public as well as private collections, notably the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Madoura terracotta pitcher 'Yan barbu' (AR 513) by Pablo PicassoThis is amply illustrated in the platinum-palladium print, flush mounted to aluminium, signed, titled, dated and numbered 12 of an edition of 50 dated 1950 and printed in 1970. Lisa, born in 1911, was married to Penn from 1950-1992 considered the first Swedish supermodel.

Also consigned to the sale is a Madoura terracotta pitcher ‘Yan barbu’ (AR 513) by Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). One of only 300 made and with an estimate of £1,500-£2,500, a similar one was sold in June 2015 at Christie’s for £3,750.

The items are due to be sold on February 2nd.

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