Revolutionary Fidel Castro photograph sells for £4k

Here's a look at another one of the highlights from Dominic Winter's sale of the exceptional photographs of Alberto Korda, Fidel Castro's personal photographer in the 1960s-70s.

As we previously reported, the star image featured Cuban revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara relaxing with a fishing rod sometime in the 1960s.

One of only 50 produced, numbered and signed - by Korda himself - the silver print on fibre paper photograph sold for £6,600.

Also selling for five figures was this Korda photo of a more serious, revolutionary occasion.


Fidel Castro and Camilo Cienfuegos enter Havana on January 8, 1959
(sold for �4k)

It features Fidel Castro and co-revolutionary Camilo Cienfuegos entering Havana on January 8, 1959. Printed by Korda circa 2000, it bears his embossed stamp and signature in the lower margin. The print was limited to just 200 copies.

The historic image sold for �4,000.

Captured before Korda classified himself as a photo journalist, he took his image to Revolucion, the revolutionary newspaper, which then published it.

It was this very image which led to Korda's assignment as Castro's personal photographer - and his fate as the leading Cuban Revolution photo journalist.

Camilo Cienfuegos died in an aeroplane crash later that year.

Other highlights in the sale included Castro and Ernest Hemingway shaking hands, sold for �2,300.

Following his role as Castro's personal photographer for 10 years, Korda moved on to underwater photography in the late-1970s.

He died of a heart attack in 2001 while presenting an exhibition of his work.

 

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