Patti Smith, 1987

Robert Mapplethorpe’s Patti Smith, 1987 is an intimate and reverent portrait of his longtime collaborator and muse. The composition evokes the sensibility of Renaissance painting, presenting Smith not just as a subject, but as an almost mythical figure, both holy and human. Smith herself is a poet, artist, and rock icon, yet her creative legend begins with Mapplethorpe. Their partnership, forged in youth and struggle, has taken on a legendary quality - two young artists with no wealth or connections who rose to cultural prominence side by side. Their story captures something essential about the transformative energy of New York in the 1970s and 1980s.

Smith’s 2010 memoir Just Kids fulfills a promise she made to Mapplethorpe, to tell their story after his untimely death in 1989. Smith’s upcoming book, Bread of Angels, continues that reflection of her life. Appropriately, its cover features a photograph of Smith taken by Mapplethorpe.

The photograph on offer here was printed in platinum on linen, giving rich tonal depth that blends into the linen fibers. The black beveled frame adorned with velvet panels in deep green and purple creates an altar-like presence that reflects Mapplethorpe’s fascination with ritual aesthetics and makes this a wholly unique artwork. Mapplethorpe created only three platinum prints of this image, with the lot on offer here the only example presented within this elaborate, devotional frame constructed by the artist. The photograph was acquired by a private collector from Robert Miller Gallery soon after it was created and it has remained in that collection since.