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拍品专文
In her essay, Just like a Woman, Abigail Solomon-Godeau wrote in 1986 “Woodman’s photography is the work of a prodigy. As such it is particularly difficult to place. Prodigies in photography are singularly rare; women prodigies virtually unheard of.”
Francesca Woodman’s work is intense and compulsive, while questioning the statute of photography and its representation, without falling into any categories. Allusions to history or popular culture are rare in her work, but the references are strong, hence her education in an artists’ family, her studies at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in the United States as well as her semester spent in Rome. Nevertheless, some of her works showcase her interest in Greek mythology. In the present lot, she referenced the myth of Leda, a princess who was seduced by Zeus who had turned into a swan to seduce and possess her. The myth focuses on metamorphosis and body transformation, an important theme for the artist. The undulating curves of the two bodies are prolonged by the hand that caresses the head of the swan, forming a single line, and the bright white of the silky dress acts as a mirror of the white feathering. In this representation, Woodman embodies Leda who is becoming the swan, a powerful symbol of seduction.
This print was acquired directly from Francesca Woodman by Vibeke, a successful model who worked with photographers such as Helmut Newton, Irving Penn and Richard Avedon. She graced the covers of several Vogue magazines and many other fashion publications. In New York she formed a friendship with Woodman and in 1977, before Woodman's untimely death in 1981, was given the print of Leda and the Swan by Francessca during a visit to the photographer's Manhattan studio. The two were neighbors, meeting to drink tea, discuss photography and share stories. In Vibeke words “Francesca was an artist… she was beautiful and interesting – sweet, quiet and demure”. Vibeke was with her when she penciled in the personal dedication on the back of this print.
Francesca Woodman’s work is intense and compulsive, while questioning the statute of photography and its representation, without falling into any categories. Allusions to history or popular culture are rare in her work, but the references are strong, hence her education in an artists’ family, her studies at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in the United States as well as her semester spent in Rome. Nevertheless, some of her works showcase her interest in Greek mythology. In the present lot, she referenced the myth of Leda, a princess who was seduced by Zeus who had turned into a swan to seduce and possess her. The myth focuses on metamorphosis and body transformation, an important theme for the artist. The undulating curves of the two bodies are prolonged by the hand that caresses the head of the swan, forming a single line, and the bright white of the silky dress acts as a mirror of the white feathering. In this representation, Woodman embodies Leda who is becoming the swan, a powerful symbol of seduction.
This print was acquired directly from Francesca Woodman by Vibeke, a successful model who worked with photographers such as Helmut Newton, Irving Penn and Richard Avedon. She graced the covers of several Vogue magazines and many other fashion publications. In New York she formed a friendship with Woodman and in 1977, before Woodman's untimely death in 1981, was given the print of Leda and the Swan by Francessca during a visit to the photographer's Manhattan studio. The two were neighbors, meeting to drink tea, discuss photography and share stories. In Vibeke words “Francesca was an artist… she was beautiful and interesting – sweet, quiet and demure”. Vibeke was with her when she penciled in the personal dedication on the back of this print.