MANUEL, Henry

Photograph of Auguste Rodin

£4,750
[Paris] n.p.. [1910].

Inscribed by Rodin to his model and lover Eve Fairfax. Photograph of Auguste Rodin seated by a marble sculpture and surrounded by framed pictures. The bottom right margin is inscribed by Rodin in ink: "Aux beaux gestes à Miss Eve Fairfax son dévoué admirateur." Image measures 215x145mm, mounted on original card measuring 245x175mm. Eve Fairfax (1871-1978: she died in York just before her 107th birthday) was Rodin's model between 1901 and 1909 and they remained close until 1914. Rodin sculpted her numerous times producing work such as the astounding "La Nature, Miss Eve Fairfax" portraying his model emerging from natural forms. For Rodin, truth to nature was a guiding principle and one which found expression in his artistic and personal relationship with Eve Fairfax whom he described as "a Diana and a satyr in one". This photograph with its heartfelt dedication is testament to their closeness.

Henri Manuel (1874-1947) opened a portrait studio in Paris in 1900 with his brother Gaston. Manuel quickly became renowned as a photographer of people from the worlds of politics, art and sports, as well as a photographer of art and architecture. In 1910 Manuel's studio began providing a commercial service to news agencies known as "L'Agence universelle de reportage Henri Manuel". The studio became the largest photographic studio in Paris.

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