Estimate
€ 1.500 - 2.500
Aggiudicato
Current bid Starting bid
€ 1.500
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At auction on Thursday 16 October 2025 at 15:00
Information
Gelatin silver print, printed later
cm 11 x 13,8 | 4.3 x 5.4 in.
Monog. MR in blue ink with EPREUVE ORIGINALE Atelier Man Ray PARIS stamp on the verso
Framed
Published on 1 December 1924 in the first issue of the magazine La révolution surréaliste, this photograph depicts one of the objects that Man Ray created in order to photograph them and then dismantle them, such as his famous self-portrait featuring the doorbell of his home, which he then returned to its place, or, in other cases, such as this one, kept as sculptures. In 1971, Milanese gallery owner Arturo Schwartz produced a print run of ten copies plus two artist's proofs, which is particularly significant given that the original has been lost. The title contains the name of a particularly transgressive French poet who died in 1870: Mervyn, the protagonist of his collection Les Chants de Maldoror, is defined as “the chance encounter of a sewing machine and an umbrella on a dissecting table”, the subject of another famous photograph taken by Man Ray in 1920. It was inevitable that the Surrealists, and André Breton in particular, would consider him a precursor and that Man Ray would be inspired by him to create his work consisting of a sewing machine whose shape can be glimpsed under the blanket that wraps it tightly, tied with string.
cm 11 x 13,8 | 4.3 x 5.4 in.
Monog. MR in blue ink with EPREUVE ORIGINALE Atelier Man Ray PARIS stamp on the verso
Framed
Published on 1 December 1924 in the first issue of the magazine La révolution surréaliste, this photograph depicts one of the objects that Man Ray created in order to photograph them and then dismantle them, such as his famous self-portrait featuring the doorbell of his home, which he then returned to its place, or, in other cases, such as this one, kept as sculptures. In 1971, Milanese gallery owner Arturo Schwartz produced a print run of ten copies plus two artist's proofs, which is particularly significant given that the original has been lost. The title contains the name of a particularly transgressive French poet who died in 1870: Mervyn, the protagonist of his collection Les Chants de Maldoror, is defined as “the chance encounter of a sewing machine and an umbrella on a dissecting table”, the subject of another famous photograph taken by Man Ray in 1920. It was inevitable that the Surrealists, and André Breton in particular, would consider him a precursor and that Man Ray would be inspired by him to create his work consisting of a sewing machine whose shape can be glimpsed under the blanket that wraps it tightly, tied with string.
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Condition report
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The department will provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Please note that what Finarte declares with respect to the state of conservation of the objects corresponds only to a qualified opinion and that we are not professional conservators or restorers.
We urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. We always suggest prospective buyers to inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition during the exhibition days as indicated in the catalog.
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