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Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography

American, 1946-1989

Robert Mapplethorpe was born on November 4, 1946, in Floral Park, New York. He left home in 1962 and enrolled at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, in 1963, where he studied painting and sculpture and received his BFA in 1970. During this time, he met artist, poet, and musician Patti Smith. She encouraged his work and posed for numerous portraits when they lived together in Brooklyn and in the Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan, a gathering place for artists, writers, and musicians in the early 1970s.

It was not Mapplethorpe’s original intention to be a photographer, and from 1970 to 1974, he mainly made assemblage constructions that incorporate images of men from pornographic magazines with found objects and painting. In order to create his own images for these collages, Mapplethorpe turned to photography, initially using a Polaroid SX-70 camera. Interested in portraiture, Mapplethorpe worked as a staff photographer for Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine. He also produced album covers for Smith and the group Television, and at the same time photographed socialites and celebrities such as John Paul Getty III and Carolina Herrera.

Mapplethorpe had his first substantial shows in 1977, both in New York: an exhibition of photographs of flowers at the Holly Solomon Gallery and one of male nudes and sadomasochistic imagery at the Kitchen. Mapplethorpe’s diverse work — homoerotic images, floral still lifes, pictures of children, commissioned portraits, mixed-media sculpture — is united by the constancy of his approach and technique. The surfaces of his prints offer a seemingly endless gradation of blacks and whites, shadow and light, and regardless of subject, his images are both elegant and provocative. In the mid-to-late 1980s, returning to the sculptural use of photography seen in his early assemblages, Mapplethorpe created sensual diptychs and triptychs of photographs printed on fabric and luxurious cloth panels.

In 1988, four major exhibitions of Mapplethorpe’s work were organized: by the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; the Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; and the National Portrait Gallery, London. Mapplethorpe died due to complications from AIDS on March 9, 1989, in Boston.

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(Biography provided by Cerbera Gallery)

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Artist: Robert Mapplethorpe
William S. Burroughs (Stamped) (~30% OFF LIST PRICE, LIMITED TIME)
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Kansas City, MO
Robert Mapplethorpe William S. Burroughs Photograph, Silver Gelatin Print Year: 1982 Size: 9.8 × 7.8 inches Stamped verso Accompanied by Radar, Basel, Edition C.L.A.G., 1982; Text i...
Category

1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography

Materials

Silver Gelatin

William S Burroughs, by Robert Mapplethorpe
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in London, GB
Gelatin silver print 9 3/4 x 7 7/8 in 24.9 x 20.1 cm Printed by Radar Publikationen and Edition K.L.A.G. credit stamps verso. Photographers credit stamp verso.
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20th Century Conceptual Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography

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Photographic Paper

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Previously Available Items
William S. Burroughs (Stamped)
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Kansas City, MO
FLASH SALE until 8/8/21 Robert Mapplethorpe William S. Burroughs Photograph Year: 1982 Size: 9.8 × 7.8 inches Stamped verso Gallery COA provided Robert Mapplethorpe was born Novem...
Category

1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography

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C Print

William S. Burroughs (Stamped)
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Kansas City, MO
FLASH SALE until 8/8/21 Robert Mapplethorpe William S. Burroughs Photograph Year: 1982 Size: 9.8 × 7.8 inches Stamped verso Gallery COA provided Robert Mapplethorpe was born Novem...
Category

1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography

Materials

C Print

William S. Burroughs (Stamped) - FLASH SALE until 8/8/21
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Kansas City, MO
FLASH SALE until 8/8/21 Robert Mapplethorpe William S. Burroughs Photograph Year: 1982 Size: 9.8 × 7.8 inches Stamped verso Gallery COA provided Robert Mapplethorpe was born Novem...
Category

1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography

Materials

C Print

William S. Burroughs (Stamped)
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Kansas City, MO
Robert Mapplethorpe William S. Burroughs Photograph Year: 1982 Size: 9.8 × 7.8 inches Stamped verso COA provided Robert Mapplethorpe was born November 4, 1946, in Floral Park, New ...
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1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography

Materials

C Print

William S. Burroughs (Stamped)
By Robert Mapplethorpe
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Robert Mapplethorpe William S. Burroughs Photograph Year: 1982 Size: 9.8 × 7.8 inches Stamped verso COA provided Robert Mapplethorpe was born November 4, 1946, in Floral Park, New ...
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1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography

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William S. Burroughs (Stamped)
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Located in Kansas City, MO
Robert Mapplethorpe William S. Burroughs Photograph Year: 1982 Size: 9.8 × 7.8 inches Stamped verso COA provided Robert Mapplethorpe was born November 4, 1946, in Floral Park, New ...
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Robert Mapplethorpe William S. Burroughs Photograph Year: 1982 Size: 9.8 × 7.8 inches Edition C.L.A.G Carl Laszlo, Basel COA provided Robert Mapplethorpe was born November 4, 1946...
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1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography

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William S. Burroughs
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Located in Kansas City, MO
Robert Mapplethorpe William S. Burroughs Photograph Year: 1982 Size: 9.8 × 7.8 inches Edition C.L.A.G Carl Laszlo, Basel COA provided Robert Mapplethorpe was born November 4, 1946...
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1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography

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Robert Mapplethorpe William S. Burroughs Photograph Year: 1982 Size: 9.8 × 7.8 inches Edition C.L.A.G Carl Laszlo, Basel COA provided Robert Mapplethorpe was born November 4, 1946...
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1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography

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Robert Mapplethorpe William S. Burroughs Photograph Year: 1982 Size: 9.8 × 7.8 inches Edition C.L.A.G Carl Laszlo, Basel Stamped Verso Robert Mapplethorpe was born November 4, 194...
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1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography

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Melody / Shoe, 1987/1990
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American artist Robert Mapplethorpe pushed the boundaries of photography in both his subject choice and technique. This has led to him often being remembered exclusively for his cont...
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1980s Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography

Robert Mapplethorpe figurative photography for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Robert Mapplethorpe figurative photography available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Robert Mapplethorpe in silver gelatin print and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 1980s and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Robert Mapplethorpe figurative photography, so small editions measuring 8 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Bruce Cratsley, Robert Funk, and Fred McDarrah. Robert Mapplethorpe figurative photography prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $199 and tops out at $199, while the average work can sell for $199.
Questions About Robert Mapplethorpe Figurative Photography
  • 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022
    Robert Mapplethorpe was known for his dramatic black and white photography. The American photographer's nude portraits, self-portraits and scenes from New York City's S&M clubs are particularly famous. On 1stDibs, you can find a variety of Robert Mapplethorpe photographic art.
  • 1stDibs ExpertMay 3, 2024
    You can see Robert Mapplethorpe art in a number of museums. His work is in the collections of the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art in San Francisco, California; the SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah, Georgia; the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, New York; the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, New York; the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California; the Dulwich Picture Gallery in London, UK; and many other institutions. In addition, museums frequently feature his work in special exhibitions. Check the Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation website for a list of upcoming exhibits. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of Robert Mapplethorpe art.

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