Francesca Woodman - Photographs New York Monday, April 9, 2018 | Phillips

Photographs

New York Auction 9 April 2018

  • Provenance

    Marian Goodman Gallery, New York
    Private Collection, East Coast, United States

  • Catalogue Essay

    “What happened is that I played the piano for a long time. The pieces I played most were themes on variations, Scarlatti, etc. this occurs in my imagery…Then at one point I did not need to translate the notes; they went directly into my hands.”
    Francesca Woodman

    Francesca Woodman’s powerful and enigmatic body of work was produced during a very short period from her adolescence until her early passing at the age of 22 in 1981. This photograph, printed during her lifetime, was taken in Providence in the mid-to-late 1970s while she was a student at the Rhode Island School of Design. Woodman’s photographs demonstrate a beauty and ferocity in her adaptations on the human form. In her House series, produced during this pivotal time, Woodman places herself in scenes where elements of the physical home—such as the wall or fireplace—appear to almost devour her and the photograph offered here builds on that very idea. By physically inserting herself into the piano, Woodman becomes part of its inner workings, harkening back to her earlier musical influences while encapsulating the hallmark themes seen throughout her photographs.

  • Artist Biography

    Francesca Woodman

    American • 1958 - 1981

    During her brief 22 years, Francesca Woodman created an extraordinary body of work, exploring gender, selfhood and the body in relation to its surroundings. Woodman often experimented with a slow shutter speed, which slightly blurred and distorted her body as it moved throughout the exposure, creating a haunting, almost ghost-like effect. Her ethereal presence draws our attention to traditional depictions of the body, forms of portraiture and self-portraiture, illuminating the desire for self-preservation against the passing of time. 

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173

Francesca Woodman

Untitled, Providence, RI

1975-1978
Gelatin silver print, printed 1975-1978.
5 3/8 x 5 3/8 in. (13.7 x 13.7 cm)
A lifetime print by the artist, signed by George Woodman in pencil and estate stamp on the verso.

Estimate
$30,000 - 50,000 

Sold for $37,500

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Photographs

New York Auction 9 April 2018