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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)

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Artist: Robert Mapplethorpe
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...
Category

1970s American Modern Robert Mapplethorpe Art

Materials

Polaroid

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 (Stamped)
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, New York. He left home in 1962 and enrolled at the Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, in 1963, where he studied painting and sculpture and received his B.F.A. 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...
Category

1980s 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

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

Jon Thor, Black and White Portrait Photography of Pop Culture Male Bodybuilder
By Robert Mapplethorpe
Located in New york, NY
Jon Thor, 1982 by Robert Mapplethorpe, 20" x 16", is a vintage gelatin silver, unique (1/1) print, signed recto (front of photo) lower right, with annotations on recto (dedication to...
Category

1980s Contemporary Robert Mapplethorpe Art

Materials

Photographic Film, Silver Gelatin, Photographic Paper

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

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

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Previously Available Items
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...
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1970s Pop Art Robert Mapplethorpe Art

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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

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

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

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: Excellent overall vintage condition...
Category

1970s Pop Art Robert Mapplethorpe Art

Materials

Offset

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 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 8 inches across are available. Customers who are interested in this artist might also find the work of Alan Herr, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, and Harry Callahan. Robert Mapplethorpe art prices can differ depending upon medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at £79 and tops out at £35,920, while the average work can sell for £13,889.

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Questions About Robert Mapplethorpe Art
  • 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.

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