Property of Barron Rachman, SC and NY
Description:
Helen Levitt (1913-2009), Untitled (Girl with Gun), Silver Gelatin, 1940, pencil signed and dated 'N.Y., c. 1940' and '54A', printed by Chuck Kelton of Kelton Labs with the assistance of Barron Rachman early to mid 1990s, unframed.
Provenance: Barron Rachman met master printer Chuck Kelton of Kelton Labs in New York City via his employer, photographer Louis Stettner. Rachman assisted in the production of mural size editioned portfolios of Stettner’s work at Kelton Labs. When he eventually parted ways with Louis Stettner and returned to New York City from Paris, Rachman reached out to Chuck Kelton for a job at his custom black and white photo lab at 32 Union Square East in Manhattan. Rachman did freelance work for Chuck Kelton from 1991-2010. At Kelton Labs Rachman was involved in the production of the work of such photographic artists as Helen Levitt, Lillian Bassman, Danny Lyon, Bruce Davidson, Mary Ellen Mark, etc. At that time, it was not unusual for Chuck Kelton to offer members of the darkroom production team who worked on outputting editioned portfolios of the aforementioned artists, signed prints as payment in kind for services rendered. That is how Rachman acquired signed prints by the above listed photographers many of which are included in this auction.
Helen Levitt was a celebrated American photographer and cinematographer. She was particularly noted for her street photography around New York City. After dropping out of high school, Levitt took a job assisting in the darkroom of a commercial portrait photographer. She soon acquired her own camera, and by the late 1930s she had gained the support of t photographers Henri Cartier-Bresson and Walker Evans, and writer James Agee. From the 1930s through the 1990s, Levitt roamed the Lower East Side, Spanish Harlem and other urban neighborhoods, capturing the story of city life.
Measurements: Height: 11 in. x Width: 14 in.
Condition:
Good condition, very minor wear to corners, lower left edge with minor stain.
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