Keith de Lellis Gallery presents a group exhibition of vintage still life photographs from the first half of the twentieth century, featuring Paul Strand, Edward Steichen, Margaret Bourke-White, Irving Penn, Herbert Matter, and others. The exhibition presents various types of still life imagery, going beyond fine art photography to include industrial, advertising, and surrealist photographs. The clean lines and strict organization of advertising compositions draw a contrast to the dramatic, experimental art and surrealist imagery.
Among the featured photographs is a 1916 photogravure of Bowls by Paul Strand. Additionally, a very early print of Irving Penn’s New York Still Life (1947) will be on view, as well as a rare print of Edward Steichen’s Matches and Match Boxes, which was used to create silk fabric in 1926.
The group includes a variety of photographic processes, such as gelatin silver prints, platinum prints, and rare three-color carbro prints used by Hi Williams and Harold Haliday Costain to create vivid color photographs for advertising and fine art.