Robert Mapplethorpe Art
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.
Find original Robert Mapplethorpe photography on 1stDibs.
(Biography provided by Cerbera Gallery)
to
3
15
1
16
14
10
2
1
1
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 in German
Gallery COA provided
Robert Mapplethorpe was born November 4, 1946, in Floral Park...
Category
1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Swid Powell Robert Mapplethorpe "Flower" 1986 Floral Black & White Plate
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Toledo, OH
Black and white porcelain collectors plate Swid Powell Robert Mapplethorpe "Flower" 1986. White circular plate with sloping sides. Photographic image of a calla lily. 12" in diameter.
Category
20th Century Unknown Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Porcelain
Patti Smith Horses vinyl 1st Pressing (Robert Mapplethorpe Patti Smith)
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Patti Smith Horses Vinyl Record Album, 1975: US 1st Pressing featuring original photography by Robert Mapplethorpe.
Produced by John Cale.
Cover: Very Good to overall vintage condit...
Category
1970s Pop Art Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Offset
Pistils - Robert Mapplethorpe, Photography Hardcover Cased Book 1st Edition 1996
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Pistils, Photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe with an Essay by John Ashbery.
Hardcover in case and dust jacket – 1st Edition, 1996
Robert Mapplethorpe began taking photographs in th...
Category
1990s American International Style Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Paper
Mapplethorpe Z Portfolio, Dan S 1980 Male Nude Unique Gelatin Silver Print Photo
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Rancho Santa Fe, CA
"Dan S" is a well-known photograph by Robert Mapplethorpe, created in 1980 and part of the Z Portfolio. It is part of his body of work that explores themes of identity, sexuality, an...
Category
1980s Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Mapplethorpe "Cock & Devil" 1982 Gelatin Silver Print Satyr & Phallus Photograph
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Rancho Santa Fe, CA
"Cock and Devil" is a photograph by Robert Mapplethorpe, created and printed in 1982. The work is a gelatin silver print, known for its stark contrast and meticulous composition, whi...
Category
1980s Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
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.
Print pulled from por...
Category
20th Century Conceptual Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Photographic Paper
Robert Mapplethorpe Botanical Porcelain Plate, Flower, 1986
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Downingtown, PA
Robert Mapplethorpe Botanical Plate,
Flower, 1986
Made By Swid Powell
The Robert Mapplethorpe porcelain plate depicts in black and white a flower dated on the reverse 1987. It is lithographically printed porcelain based on Robert Mapplethorpe's photograph and made by Swid Powell.
Robert Michael Mapplethorpe was an American photographer, best known for his black-and-white photographs. His work featured an array of subjects, including celebrity portraits, male and female nudes, self-portraits, and still-life images. He was concerned with Classical aspects of beauty, whether in his nudes, floral still life pictures, or self-portraits—light, shadow, composition, and form were central to all his work.
Dimensions: 12 inches diameter x 1 inch height
Reference: Annette Tapert, Swid Powell: Objects by Architects, New York, 1990, pp. 142-43
See: Examples from this series can be found in the MFAH, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Also see Yale University Art Gallery for an examples.
Robert Mapplethorpe was born on November 4, 1946, in Floral Park...
Category
1980s American Modern Vintage Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Porcelain
Robert Mapplethorpe Botanical Porcelain Plate, Orchid, 1987
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Downingtown, PA
Robert Mapplethorpe Botanical Plate,
Orchid, 1987
Made for Swid Powell,
The Robert Mapplethorpe plate depicts an Orchid made in 1987. It is ...
Category
1980s American Modern Vintage Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Porcelain
Robert Mapplethorpe Botanical Porcelain Plate, Calla Lily, 1984
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Downingtown, PA
Robert Mapplethorpe Botanical Plate,
Calla Lily, 1984
Made By Swid Powell
The Robert Mapplethorpe porcelain plate depicts in black and white a Calla Lily made in 1984. It is lithographically printed porcelain based on Robert Mapplethorpe's photographs and made by Swid Powell.
Robert Michael Mapplethorpe was an American photographer, best known for his black-and-white photographs. His work featured an array of subjects, including celebrity portraits, male and female nudes, self-portraits, and still-life images. He was concerned with Classical aspects of beauty, whether in his nudes, floral still life pictures, or self-portraits—light, shadow, composition, and form were central to all his work.
Dimensions: 12 inches diameter x 1 inch height
Reference: Annette Tapert, Swid Powell: Objects by Architects, New York, 1990, pp. 142-43
See: Examples from this series can be found in the MFAH, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.
Also see Yale University Art Gallery for an examples.
Robert Mapplethorpe was born on November 4, 1946, in Floral Park...
Category
1980s American Modern Vintage Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Porcelain
Robert Mapplethorpe "Lisa Lyon" Photograph
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in West Palm Beach, FL
Between 1980 and 1982 Robert Mapplethorpe photographed Lisa Lyon culminating in
"Lady Lisa Lyon" published in 1983.
This image is separate from the 114 im...
Category
1980s American Vintage Robert Mapplethorpe Art
SILVER DOLLAR (COLOR)
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Aventura, FL
Dye-transfer print, flush-mounted. The photographer's copyright stamp, signed and dated in ink, and with title, date, and edition 'A. P. #D' in ink on the reverse. Frame size 30 x 33...
Category
1980s Photorealist Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Dye Transfer
Bill T. Jones
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Robert Mapplethorpe, American (1946 - 1989)
Title: Bill T. Jones
Year: 1985
Medium: Gelatin Silver Print Photograph, signed, titled and stamped verso
Image Size: 18.5 x 1...
Category
1980s Contemporary Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Robert Mapplethorpe Baby's Breath 1/10
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Austin, TX
Robert Mapplethorpe is no doubt a founding father to modern photography. Through iconic black-and-white imagery, Mapplethorpe gained both recognition and infamy with his often-contro...
Category
Late 20th Century American Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Paper
William S. Burroughs (~38% OFF LIST PRICE, LIMITED TIME)
By Robert Mapplethorpe
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
Gallery COA provided
Robert Mapplethorpe was born November 4, 1946, in Floral...
Category
1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
C Print
Gardenia
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Robert Mapplethorpe earned his place in the canon from his incredible output of images that ranged from beautiful to brutal. Mapplethorpe was one of the key artists who helped elevate photography from image-making to fine art.
Mapplethorpe (1946-1989) fearlessly depicted the body (his own, friends' and lovers') in a way that positioned his work in line with masters such as Reubens, Courbet and Eadweard Muybridge to mention a few.
Despite the sometimes shocking content of his work, Mapplethorpe's photographs possess a formalist quality with their undeniable beauty and strict compositions.
From 1978-1981, Mapplethorpe created thirty-nine black and white photographs that make up his acclaimed XYZ Portfolios. While each portfolio is a distinct exploration of Mapplethorpe's signature subject matter, when combined, XYZ Portfolios serves as a definitive and in-depth representation of his mature and most sought-after, period.
(Of the portfolios, X explores homosexuality and sadomasochism; Y features floral still life; while Z showcases portraits of Black men) Click here to see a portrait from the Z portfolio.
In 2012, the XYZ Portfolios were shown in an exhibition at LACMA and presented in three rows (X on top, followed by Y in the middle, and Z below) as Mapplethorpe had envisioned them in 1989.
"Gardenia" is one of thirteen images from the Y Portfolio, featuring a fragrant and graphic flower. Shot overhead, this tranquil image captures a delicate flower subtly floating in a dark, contrasting bowl. Aside from the flower's shadow below, the still water is nearly inconspicuous, contributing to the air of grace and elegance that this piece evokes. While the depiction is straightforward, Mapplethorpe's contrasts lead to a more ambiguous image; is this actually a flower or some alien specimen being examined?
This powerful black and white image is a prime example of Mapplethorpe's work, highlighting his studio-centric practice as well as his refined and meticulous printing.
This is a rare opportunity to acquire an iconic work by one of the most influential photographers of the 20th Century. Caviar20 is proud to be offering this monumental and important piece.
"Gardenia"
USA, 1978
Gelatin silver print
Signed in ink by Michael Ward Stout and credited and dated on photographer's estate stamp, mount verso.
13.25"H 12.75"W (image)
16.75"H 16"W (framed)
Very good condition
Provenance: Xavier Hufkens...
Category
1970s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Orchid By Robert Mapplethorpe
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Morton Grove, IL
Photogravure
Signed
Robert Mapplethorpe (American, 1946-1989)
Black and white photogravure titled "Orchid"
Signed in pencil lower right, dated 1987...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Photographic Paper
Related Items
Machin Set of 6 Plates, Moustache Shape, White with Flowers, ca 1825
By Machin
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful set of 6 dessert plates made by Machin around 1825, which is known as the Regency period. The items have the famous "moustache" moulding picked out in gilt, a sim...
Category
1820s English Regency Antique Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Porcelain
The sleeping one
By D.M. Brandt
Located in Cologne, DE
Vintage, signed on the Verso.
Category
1970s Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Nude Dancer, from The Female Figure Series by Karl Struss, 1917
By Karl Struss
Located in Dallas, TX
Nude Dancer, from The Female Figure series by Karl Struss features a nude woman standing on one leg, with her leg lifted in an arabesque position. Her arms are raised above her head ...
Category
1910s Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Silver Gelatin
H 9 in W 6.5 in D 0.07 in
Set 12 Porcelain Plates Adamo Black/White/Gold
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
This set of twelve hand-decorated porcelain plates, as a whole, forms the figure of Adamo. You can use the ensemble for ornamental purposes ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Porcelain
18th Century Qianlong Chinese Porcelain Blue & White Plate with Flowers
Located in Miami, FL
From the reign of Chinese Emperor Qianlong of the Qing dynasty, a lovely Chinese porcelain plate with a scalloped edge, with small hand-painted cobalt blue flowers that are likely pl...
Category
Mid-18th Century Chinese Qing Antique Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Porcelain
Vision of Frank Lloyd Wright by Thomas a. Heinz Hardcover Book 1st Edition
By Frank Lloyd Wright
Located in North Hollywood, CA
The Vision of Frank Lloyd Wright. by Thomas A. Heinz large heavy hardcover coffee table book.
A Complete Guide To The Designs Of An Architectural Genius.
Frank Lloyd Wright's career, sometimes tragic, sometimes tempestuous - at all times creative - has been examined and reexamined in numerous studies and articles both during his lifetime and since his death in 1959, which occurred shortly before the completion of his most famous project, New York's Guggenheim Museum.
Virtually every structure that Wright built is represented in this extensive survey of his life's work. His genius at architectural design enable him to work out extremely complex buildings in his head and translate them on to paper in a matter of hours, as the famous story of his design presentation of Falling Water illustrates. His work continues to draw great admiration and interest to this day. His often tempestuous and sometimes tragic life and career are given full coverage in this book. Hundreds of photos, both archival and recent chart his amazing work and influence on all who followed.
This concise consideration of Wright's life and work not only offers new insights into the character of this complex, powerful and at all times confident personality, but also the architectural legacy he left behind and which exists to this day in the vast number of homes and public buildings photographed...
Category
20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Paper
Coalport Porcelain Plate, White with Handpainted Flowers, Regency ca 1820
By Coalport Porcelain
Located in London, GB
This is a beautiful plate made by Coalport around the year 1820. The plate is decorated in white with a simple gilt rim, darting puce and gilt vines, and a wonderful hand painted bou...
Category
1820s English Regency Antique Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Porcelain
Free Shipping
H 0.75 in Dm 8.75 in
Set 12 Porcelain Plates Eva Black/White
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
This set of twelve hand-decorated porcelain plates, as a whole, forms the figure of Eva. You can use the ensemble for ornamental purposes or...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Porcelain
Set 12 Porcelain Plates Adamo Black/White
By Fornasetti
Located in MILANO, IT
This set of twelve hand-decorated porcelain plates, as a whole, forms the figure of Adamo. You can use the ensemble for ornamental purposes ...
Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Porcelain
Antique Japanese Porcelain Gold, Ivory & Black with Florals Plate, Circa 1900
Located in New Orleans, LA
Antique Japanese porcelain plate, hand-decorated gold, ivory & black with florals, Circa 1900.
Category
Early 20th Century Japanese Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Porcelain
Remembering Africa by Robert Vavra Hardcover Book
Located in North Hollywood, CA
Remembering Africa by Robert Vavra hardcover book.
Large hardcover book· by photographer Robert Vavra 624 pages.
Remembering Africa is a magical conjuring of the continent of old t...
Category
Late 20th Century African Tribal Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Paper
Robert Mapplethorpe coffee table book, English & Japanese, softcover 1987
Located in View Park, CA
A rare vintage Robert Mapplethorpe coffee table book, Parco Vision Contemporary, softcover, 1987. Featuring text in Japanese and English and both color and black and white plates...
Category
Late 20th Century Japanese Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Paper, Plastic
H 10.2 in W 8.25 in D 0.25 in
Previously Available Items
Moet Blade
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Robert Mapplethorpe (1946 - 1989) helped elevate photography to be considered fine art in the 1970s thanks to his uncompromising images rich in contrast, from beautiful to brutal and elegant to uninhibited.
Mapplethorpe’s career was as glittering as it was controversial. Feted and vilified in equal measure, he ran a successful commercial studio (for portraiture and fashion photography) while simultaneously producing some of the most contentious (and beautiful!) images of the 20th century.
His depictions of gay sexuality (including S&M and bondage) provoked a fierce backlash both at the time of their creation and well into the 1990s and beyond.
This unique polaroid dates from when Mapplethorpe began to focus on pure photography, abandoning the collages of the first chapter of his career. It is also a foreshadowing of his curiosity and pursuit of New York's S&M scene.
This unique polaroid features an opened bottle of Moët-Chandon with a sharp blade emerging from the neck. Typical of Mapplethorpe, there is his signature balance of formalist qualities, foreboding references, with a touch of sexuality and violence.
Mapplethorpe's style is instantly recognizable: simple forms set against neutral backgrounds, a razor-sharp focus, and opulent, tonal gradations ranging from inky, velvety black to luminous silver-white.
Although this is a unique polaroid, its sibling is in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. We believe that our example is superior to the two; the label is mostly concealed which intensifies the shapes and composition.
Robert Mapplethorpe mounted over fifty solo exhibitions during his lifetime, including numerous museum shows in the USA, Europe, and Japan. Since his death, his work has continued to be exhibited and acquired by major international art institutions.
Questions about this artwork? Contact us.
"Untitled" (Moet Blade)
USA, 1972
Unique polaroid.
Annotated 'PD 708' in pencil in an unknown hand on the verso.
Original stamp from Mertens Framers.
4.5”H 3.4”W (image)
15"H 8"W (framed)
Very good condition. Detailed condition report by request
Provenance: Xavier Hufkens...
Category
1970s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Polaroid
Gardenia
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Robert Mapplethorpe earned his place in the canon from his incredible output of images that ranged from beautiful to brutal. Mapplethorpe was one of the key artists who helped elevate photography from image-making to fine art.
Mapplethorpe (1946-1989) fearlessly depicted the body (his own, friends' and lovers') in a way that positioned his work in line with masters such as Reubens, Courbet and Eadweard Muybridge to mention a few.
Despite the sometimes shocking content of his work, Mapplethorpe's photographs possess a formalist quality with their undeniable beauty and strict compositions.
From 1978-1981, Mapplethorpe created thirty-nine black and white photographs that make up his acclaimed XYZ Portfolios. While each portfolio is a distinct exploration of Mapplethorpe's signature subject matter, when combined, XYZ Portfolios serves as a definitive and in-depth representation of his mature and most sought-after, period.
(Of the portfolios, X explores homosexuality and sadomasochism; Y features floral still life; while Z showcases portraits of Black men) Click here to see a portrait from the Z portfolio.
In 2012, the XYZ Portfolios were shown in an exhibition at LACMA and presented in three rows (X on top, followed by Y in the middle, and Z below) as Mapplethorpe had envisioned them in 1989.
"Gardenia" is one of thirteen images from the Y Portfolio, featuring a fragrant and graphic flower. Shot overhead, this tranquil image captures a delicate flower subtly floating in a dark, contrasting bowl. Aside from the flower's shadow below, the still water is nearly inconspicuous, contributing to the air of grace and elegance that this piece evokes. While the depiction is straightforward, Mapplethorpe's contrasts lead to a more ambiguous image; is this actually a flower or some alien specimen being examined?
This powerful black and white image is a prime example of Mapplethorpe's work, highlighting his studio-centric practice as well as his refined and meticulous printing.
This is a rare opportunity to acquire an iconic work by one of the most influential photographers of the 20th Century. Caviar20 is proud to be offering this monumental and important piece.
"Gardenia"
USA, 1978
Gelatin silver print
Signed in ink by Michael Ward Stout and credited and dated on photographer's estate stamp, mount verso.
13.25"H 12.75"W (image)
16.75"H 16"W (framed)
Very good condition
Provenance: Xavier Hufkens...
Category
1970s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Patti Smith Horses vinyl 1st Pressing (Robert Mapplethorpe Patti Smith)
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Patti Smith Horses Vinyl Record Album, 1975: US 1st Pressing featuring original photography by Robert Mapplethorpe.
Produced by John Cale.
Cover: Very Good to overall vintage condit...
Category
1970s Pop Art Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Offset
Patti Smith Horses vinyl 1st Pressing (Robert Mapplethorpe Patti Smith)
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Patti Smith Horses Vinyl Record Album, 1975: US 1st Pressing featuring original photography by Robert Mapplethorpe.
Produced by John Cale.
Cover: Very Good to Excellent overall vint...
Category
1970s Pop Art Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Offset
William S. Burroughs
By Robert Mapplethorpe
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
Gallery COA provided
Robert Mapplethorpe was born November...
Category
1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
C Print
William S. Burroughs
By Robert Mapplethorpe
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
Gallery COA provided
Robert Mapplethorpe was born November...
Category
1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
C Print
LEIGH LEE / THE Z PORTFOLIO
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Robert Mapplethorpe's place in the canon was earned from his incredible output of images that ranged from beautiful to brutal. Mapplethorpe was one of the key artists who helped elevate photography from image-making to an important element of fine art.
He fearlessly depicted the body (his own, friends' and lovers') in a way that positioned his work in line with masters such as Courbet, Bas Jan Ader...
Category
1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Silver Gelatin
Robert Mapplethorpe, Altars Book
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Waddinxveen, ZH
Robert Michael Mapplethorpe (November 4, 1946 – March 9, 1989) was an American photographer, best known for his black-and-white photographs. His work featured an array of subjects, including celebrity portraits, male and female nudes, self-portraits, and still-life images. His most controversial works documented and examined the gay male BDSM subculture of New York City in the late 1960s and early 1970s. A 1989 exhibition of Mapplethorpe's work, titled Robert Mapplethorpe...
Category
Late 20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Paper
Patti Smith Horses vinyl 1st Pressing (Robert Mapplethorpe Patti Smith)
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in NEW YORK, NY
Patti Smith Horses Vinyl Record Album, 1975: US 1st Pressing featuring original photography by Robert Mapplethorpe.
Produced by John Cale.
Cover: Very good overall vintage condition...
Category
1970s Pop Art Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Mixed Media
Untitled (Whip)
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Robert Mapplethorpe (1946 - 1989) helped elevate photography to be included as fine art in the 1970's thanks to his uncompromising images rich in contrasts from beautiful to brutal and elegant to uninhibited.
Mapplethorpe’s career was as glittering as it was controversial. Feted and vilified in equal measure, he ran a successful commercial studio (for portraiture and fashion photography) while simultaneously producing some of the most contentious (and beautiful!) images of the 20th century.
His depictions of gay sexuality (including S&M and bondage) provoked a fierce backlash both at the time of their creation and well into the 1990's and beyond.
This unique polaroid dates from the period where Mapplethorpe begins to focus on pure photography, abandoning the collages of the first chapter of his career. It is also a foreshadowing of his curiosity and pursuit of New York's S&M scene.
While the subject matter may seem evocative of Mapplethorpe's work, it is worth emphasizing that he doesn't focus on S&M images until the late 1970's.
His process at the beginning of the decade is also different from his mature period. By the mid 70's he transitions to silver gelatin prints and shoots almost exclusively in a controlled studio setting. In this image, the wrinkled bed linens are an important compositional element, just as is the proximity of the lens to the subject.
In this tightly framed image, there is also an ambiguity of what the viewer is seeing. Are we looking at one body or two? Is the arm holding the whip from the same body with the exposed bottom? In later S...
Category
1970s Pop Art Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
Polaroid
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 Art
Materials
C Print
William S. Burroughs
By Robert Mapplethorpe
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
Gallery COA provided
Robert Mapplethorpe was born November...
Category
1980s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art
Materials
C Print
Robert Mapplethorpe art for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a wide variety of authentic Robert Mapplethorpe art available for sale on 1stDibs. You can also browse by medium to find art by Robert Mapplethorpe in silver gelatin print, paper, photographic paper and more. Much of the original work by this artist or collective was created during the 20th century and is mostly associated with the modern style. Not every interior allows for large Robert Mapplethorpe art, so small editions measuring 4 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Alan Herr, Dan Budnik, and Weegee. Robert Mapplethorpe art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $122 and tops out at $45,000, while the average work can sell for $11,400.
Artists Similar to Robert Mapplethorpe
Questions About Robert Mapplethorpe Art
- 1stDibs ExpertMarch 22, 2022Robert 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, 2024You 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.