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Male Nude (Back Study), New York by Horst P. Horst

Artwork by Horst P. Horst, Male Nude (Back Study), New York

Horst P. Horst
Male Nude (Back Study), New York

platinum palladium print
signed, titled, dated 1952 and numbered 10/25 on the reverse
19 x 15 in ( 48.3 x 38.1 cm ) ( image )

Auction Estimate: $6,000.00$4,000.00 - $6,000.00

Price Realized $6,600.00
Sale date: March 25th 2025

Provenance:
Estate of Robert Noakes
In this image, an unidentifiable nude male has his back turned to the camera, left arm behind him with his hand splayed open, and one leg up in front of him, cast in shadow. Horst’s focus on capturing the naked body, which began in the early 1950s and was first exhibited in Paris in 1953, stands out distinctly among the rest of the photographer's oeuvre. His use of Chiaroscuro in defining the highlights and contours of the body takes on a classical quality, sculptural in nature and emphasizes an idealization of the human figure. Horst’s figural studies were reprinted using the platinum-palladium process in the 1980s.

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Horst P. Horst
(1906-1999)

HighlightsWatch Artist

Horst P. Horst, born Horst Paul Bohrmann on August 14, 1906, in Weißenfels-an-der-Saale, Germany, was a master of fashion photography whose iconic images redefined the genre. Initially studying architecture under Le Corbusier in Paris in 1930, Horst’s career pivoted to photography when he began working for Vogue in 1931. His collaboration with the magazine led to an enduring relationship with fashion and high society, particularly after his move to New York in 1937. There, he forged a long-term professional bond with Coco Chanel.

Horst’s artistic approach blended elements of Surrealism and Neoclassicism, infusing his fashion imagery with a sense of mystery and reverence for classical Greek beauty ideals. His compositions, which focused on form, light, and sensuality, elevated fashion photography to a new level of artistic expression. In addition to his high-profile fashion shoots, Horst’s portfolio included portraits of icons such as Consuelo Vanderbilt, Gloria Guinness, and the Rothschilds.

His work has been showcased in major exhibitions worldwide and is part of permanent collections at institutions such as the Victoria & Albert Museum, The Museum of Modern Art, and the Louvre. Horst received numerous accolades, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America and the Master of Photography Award from the International Center of Photography.