Three Transvestites in evening dress at a lounge in N.Y.C, 1961, is a perfect example of Diane Arbus' photographic practice and aesthetic. The three beautiful, towering subjects stare seductively into the camera, making the viewer aware of the emotionally charged relationship between subject and artist. This relationship highlights Arbus’ ability to capture those on the fringes of society, presenting them in a unique and judgement-free light.

Taken during a period of seismic change in America, at the height of the African-American civil rights movement, Arbus chose to present a group of not just transvestites but African-American transvestites, reaffirming her status as a polemic figure in photographic representation and her keen socio-political eye. This photograph is one of the last landscape-format portraits she would make, marking a moment of transition for the artist. The following year, Arbus began using a Rolleiflex and developed a frontal, square-format style that would become her signature.

Three Transvestites is quintessential of Arbus’ choice and framing of subject, yet surprisingly obscure. This image has not been included in any major exhibition and is appearing at auction for the very first time. Prints of this previously unpublished image are exceptionally rare.