Artist Index: Platt Lynes, George

Nude against wall in oval. Circa 1949. Vintage gelatin silver print. 23,4 x 19 cm. Annotated in pencil on verso.

Recognized today as one of the masters of 20th century photography, George Platt Lynes has influenced artists such as Robert Mapplethorpe and Herb Ritts. Although Lynes was commercially successful in New York fashion and portrait photography, his art practice is largely characterized today by his remarkable photographs of nude men, from the 1930s until his death in 1955. Inventive lighting, posing, and cropping techniques used within his carefully staged studio settings, enabled him to visually translate both the physical and psychological nuances of his subjects. – A few minimal nicks in edges, minimally buckled, otherwise in very good condition.

Study from George Balanchine's "Orpheus". 1950. Vintage gelatin silver print. 18,9 x 23 cm. Photographer's stamp on verso.

George Platt Lynes's photographs of ballet dancers are celebrated for their artistic and evocative quality, emphasizing grace, movement, and the human form in motion. His work in this realm reflects his profound comprehension of dance and his skill in capturing ballet's beauty and expressiveness through his camera lens. – Corners bumped, edges slightly rubbed, otherwise in good condition.