A photographic beacon

“122 Colour Photographs”

Photographer Keld Helmer-Petersen (1920-2013) was something of a pioneer. He is without doubt the photographer who has had the greatest influence on modern art photography here in Denmark, but his photographs also made an impact internationally. His iconic modernist photographs have been widely exhibited around the world. In spite of this, his works are rare “guests” at auction. It therefore gives us great pleasure to present two of Helmer-Petersen’s original photographs at the first Bruun Rasmussen photography auction for many years – both of them photos that featured in the artist’s most renowned and groundbreaking book: “122 Colour Photographs” from 1948. 

Ahead of its time

In 1948, Helmer-Petersen published his book of photography on his own initiative. The work revealed a whole new attitude towards photography, and received immediate international acclaim – Life magazine dedicated no fewer than seven pages to presenting the book in 1949. Today, “122 Colour Photographs” is considered to have been way ahead of its time, and the photographic work that singlehandedly brought Danish photography into the 20th century.

As with all the other photographs in the book, the clean-cut motifs now up for auction focus on details from familiar, everyday objects from modern life. And it was this ability to focus on a completely mundane object and make it graphically and artistically interesting for the beholder that set Helmer-Petersen apart, but what really places him among the best international modernist photographers is his pioneering eye for and use of the colour photograph's possibilities. The two signed photographs have been consigned by Helmer-Petersen’s descendants.

“Family of Man”

Another of the highlights of the auction is English photographer Bill Brandt’s famous photo “East End girls, dancing the Lambeth Walk” from 1939. The photo was featured at the world-famous “Family of Man” photography exhibition in 1955. The 500+ photographs in the exhibition explored the possibilities of humanistic photography and were selected by Edward Steichen, head of MoMA’s photography department. The exhibition, which is today considered to be the most important photography exhibition ever held, toured the world, opening at Charlottenborg in Copenhagen in 1957.

The exhibition was a massive hit with the Danish public, attracting more than 60,000 visitors, and also generated a great deal of debate about the medium – was it art or documentation? The exhibition in Denmark was organised by the Danish photographer Bror Bernild, and the photograph up for auction comes from here. It is one of the few remaining press photos that were released to the press prior to the exhibition.

Marilyn and Mydtskov

One of the most photographed people in history is actress Marilyn Monroe, whose iconic face also graces the auction. The photo was taken by the American celebrity photographer Bert Stern in June 1962, in what has since proved to be the last photo session of the famous blonde – hence the name of the series: “The Last Sitting”. The photograph from this series set to go under the hammer is signed and numbered.

The famous Danish photographer Rigmor Mydtskov also made a living from her portrait photography of famous people. A number of Mydtskov’s series of mirror cabinet exhibition portraits of Danish celebrities including boxer Jørgen Hansen, acter Frits Helmut and actress Gitta Nørby is to be presented at the auction. The photos play with the portrait genre and allow us to see the subject from various angles. The photographs, which come from Mydtskov’s gallery, were exhibited at Charlottenborg in Copenhagen in 1996.

Erotic photographs

The erotic motif is, of course, prevalent in art – especially in photography. This is also apparent in the works at the photography auction, which include soft nude studies of women from a bygone era as well as fashion photographer Helmut Newton’s stylised women, including the photography book, SUMO, which is a tribute to Newton’s work in giant format.

Preview and auction

The preview of the book auction takes place at our premises at Baltikavej 10, DK-2100 Copenhagen Ø on Friday 7 June from 10 am–3.30 pm. The hammer will fall online at bruun-rasmussen.dk on Sunday 9 June from 1 pm.

View the lots in the photography auction

View the program for Copenhagen Photo Festival