A collection of six black and white photographs of African art objects has starred at an auction of Man Ray works.
The six photographs were used to illustrate poet Michael Leiris' contribution to the Cahiers d'Art literary magazine in 1936.
 One of the six photographs of African objects that sold for a combined $130,000 |
The gelatin silver prints sold within estimate for €100,000 ($129,889) at the October 30 sale in Spain.
The American born Dadaist and Surrealist artist, who spent the majority of his career in Paris, is best known for his photography.
Little appreciated during his lifetime, since his death in 1976 Ray has been gaining steadily in regard.
Some 144 of his works went under the hammer this week, the largest auction of his photographic works since 1995.
Amassed by Italian art dealer Camillo d'Afflitto during the past three decades, the collection also featured an edition of 10 1973 Ray-signed and numbered copies of frames taken by the artist on a projected stereoscopic film.
Featuring images captured between 1925 and 1973, the lot sold within estimate for €40,000 ($51,995).
There was less good news for the anticipated highlight of the sale. Negro y blanco, positivo, or Black and White, positive, taken in 1926 and printed in 1950, had come to auction with a €200,000 ($257,250) valuation but failed to sell.
The general auction trend for Man Ray's photography, however, remains strong.
In February his 1936 photograph of a sculpture of the goddess Venus sold for €20,625 ($26,550), quadrupling its €5,000 high estimate.
You can view our collection of art and photography for sale here
