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ARTHUR TRESS (1940- ) A suite of 15 master set photographs, from Tress' project Shadow. 1974; printed 1975.

ARTHUR TRESS (1940- )
A suite of 15 master set photographs, from Tress' project Shadow. 1974; printed 1975.
Silver prints, the images measuring 7½ inches (19.1 cm.) square, and slightly smaller, the mounts 14x11 inches (35.6x27.9 cm.), each with Tress' signature, title, and numeric notation in ink on mount recto.

Provenance
Acquired directly from the Artist; to the Collection of Neil Robert Berzak

Representative of the transformative change from documentary to personal and expressive motifs during the 1970s, this group of photographs was selected for Tress' book Shadow (New York: Avon Books, 1975) and very few were ever sold or put on the public market. The CCP Tucson owns a complete set of the 100 used for the book. The Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, SFMOMA, Getty Museum, and the Bibliothèque Nationale of Paris own a large selection of prints dedicated to this project.

The titles refer to the 13 chapters of the book, and their number to their placement within the chapter's sequence.

Ancestors #3 * Illuminations #12 * Initiations #3 * Initiations #8 * Labyrinth #2 * Labyrinth #3 * Magic Flight #2 * Magic Flight #6 * Magic Flight #7 * Magic Flight #9 * Magic Flight #10 * Pilgrim #4 * Pilgrim #7 * Pilgrim #3 * Town #9

  • Condition: This suite of 15 master set photographs, from Tress' project Shadow, 1974; printed 1975 by Arthur tress is in excellent condition. The tones of the prints are rich and varied, and the surfaces clean and lustrous.

    Upon close inspection in strong raking light, we can notice a few exceedingly faint superficial impressions on the surface of a few prints, as the result of the mounting process, but overall, the surfaces are clean without any flaws. When viewing the prints under typical conditions, these very slight surface inconsistencies are not at all visible.

    The prints have no margins, and the edges are mostly clean and neat, but a few extreme edges of a few prints evidence some minuscule tiny chips. They remain extremely discreet and do not detract from the overall presentation.

    The presentation is also neat, with bright and clean mounts, each with Tress' signature, title, and numeric notation in ink on mount recto.

    The titles refer to the 13 chapters of the book, and their number to their placement within the chapter's sequence.

    Detailed condition of the prints:
    Ancestors #3. Excellent condition. No flaw on the surface.
    Illuminations #12. There is a very faint small half-moon impression in the lower left quadrant. Hardly noticeable even in strong raking light.
    Initiations #3. Excellent condition. No flaw on the surface.
    Initiations #8. Excellent condition. No flaw on the surface.
    Labyrinth #2. Excellent condition. No flaw on the surface.
    Labyrinth #3. Tiny spec of well-done retouching in the dark area of the upper left quadrant. Not apparent under typical viewing conditions.
    Magic Flight #2. Excellent condition. No flaw on the surface.

    Magic Flight #6 Excellent condition. No flaw on the surface. 2 small pencil strokes on the left edge of the mount next to the print as a remnant of mounting indication. Unobtrusive.
    Magic Flight #7. Excellent condition. No flaw on the surface. 2 small pencil strokes on the left edge of the mount next to the print as a remnant of mounting indication. Unobtrusive.
    Magic Flight #9 Very faint half-moon impression in the lower left quadrant as a result of the mounting process. Noticeable only under strong raking light; not apparent under typical viewing conditions.
    Magic Flight #10. Excellent condition. No flaw on the surface. 2 small pencil strokes on the left edge of the mount next to the print as a remnant of mounting indication. Unobtrusive.
    Pilgrim #4. Excellent condition. No flaw on the surface.
    Pilgrim #7. Excellent condition. No flaw on the surface.
    Pilgrim #3. Excellent condition. No flaw on the surface.
    Town #9. Small spec of very-well done retouching in the dark area of the lower right edge. Noticeable only under strong raking light, not under typical viewing conditions.


    Please contact the Specialist for the auction to request a condition report.

    Condition reports and additional images are provided as a courtesy and should be used by you to aid in the formation of your own opinion regarding condition. All material is sold subject to Swann's standard Terms and Conditions of Sale as published in our catalogues and posted on our website, and include the following terms: (1) all property is sold "as-is"; and (2) works cannot be returned on the basis of condition.

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December 17, 2024 12:00 PM EST
New York, NY, US

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