Lot 132: MARVIN ISRAEL (1924-1985)

UNTITLED (WOMAN IN CHAIR)

51 by 40 in. 1.3 by 1.02 m

signed Marvin Israel and dated, 68 on the backing

acrylic and pastel on paper

PROVENANCE

Cordier & Ekstrom, Inc., New York

NOTE

"(Henry) Wolf... was replaced at Harper's Bazaar by Marvin Israel, possibly its last great art editor. Israel was a painter and photographer as well as a graphic designer (he produced many fine record covers as well as books by great photographers including Avedon and Arbus) and teacher. Israel had learnt from Brodovitch and was later to teach together with Avedon. At Harper's he engaged in a running battle with the magazine's editor to get good photography onto the pages, even work that had little connection with fashion. As well as introducing new photographers such as Diane Arbus, Lee Friedlander and Duane Michals, Israel also published work by Bill Brandt and Brassai.

Probably the greatest achievement during Israel's short time - around 20 issues - with the magazine was his dynamic partnership with Avedon, which led to some of Avedon's greatest work, starting with the publication of the first full-frontal nude in leading fashion magazine (a Countess in a fashion article on 'The Woman Within') and going on to a mock-tabloid shock horror feature debunking the Paris collections." Peter Marshall, Photography: Sixties style Part 2: New York - Fashion in the 60's, About.com,