150 Years of Photography and History Up for Auction

Long before it became a collector’s item, photography found its way into our homes through magazines and books, telling the story of humanity. On June 16, Cambi Casa d’Aste’s Milan office on Via San Marco will host a summer auction dedicated to photography: 140 lots spanning some 150 years of the medium’s history.

Among the works in the catalog, a photograph by Robert Capa—one of the greatest photographers of the 20th century and a world-renowned photojournalist—stands out. The image captures an iconic moment in European history: World War II has just ended, Paris has been liberated, and the time for reckoning has begun. At the center of the scene is a woman, her head shaved and a swastika painted on her forehead, clutching a child in her arms. Around her, a crowd mocks and humiliates her.

The image became instantly famous when it was published in LIFE magazine as part of a photo essay on Liberation. Its power lies in the complexity of the story: on the one hand, it celebrates the victory over the Nazis and the restoration of freedom; on the other, it shows how, at that very moment, the victors assume the role of executioners toward a woman accused of collaboration. Yet that woman is not merely a suspected traitor: she is also a mother protecting her child. It is precisely this contrast that evokes deep emotion and makes the photograph so powerful. It is an extraordinary work, offered at a modest price, capable of capturing the essence of the human being in all its contradictions, between good and evil.

The auction also features a significant chapter in the history of Italian landscape photography, with some splendid and rare large-format prints by Gianni Berengo Gardin. These are images taken early in his career, during his time with the Gruppo del Ponte. In all likelihood, these photographs of his Venice were printed for an exhibition: labels on the back suggest an exhibition dating back to the early 1960s, a time when photography exhibitions were still rare events. Photographs were generally intended for publication rather than for display in such large formats. These works also command particularly attractive estimates for an artist who is currently at the center of attention in the international collecting scene.

Alongside Berengo Gardin’s works are nearly twenty photographs by Ugo Mulas, also dating from the 1960s: landscapes, portraits, and images that bear witness to the artist’s extraordinary ability to observe the art world of his time. Among these, a magnificent portrait of Lucio Fontana in his studio stands out—a shot in which the artist seems to look directly at us, recounting through his very presence the journey that made him a pivotal figure in twentieth-century art. Rounding out the collection are several photographs dedicated to the works of Alexander Calder, the great American sculptor who was a friend and close collaborator of Mulas.

One of the central themes in the history of art and photography is undoubtedly the depiction of the female figure, which has evolved over time through a wide variety of artistic sensibilities and styles. The cover of the catalog features an iconic image of Audrey Hepburn—a symbol of 20th-century elegance and sophistication—photographed by Gian Paolo Barbieri.

Another iconic photograph is the one capturing Kate Moss, an icon of contemporary fashion, in a shot by Albert Watson. The exhibition continues with works by Richard Kern, photographs by Nobuyoshi Araki, a striking lightbox by Daniele Buetti—an artist whose work has largely focused on the stereotypical representation of the female image—and a refined piece by Giovanni Gastel.

This auction brings together extraordinary works: photographs to collect, to purchase, but also simply to admire. Because, as is always the case in art, even when the goal is to sell, the work itself ends up taking center stage. And the true focus becomes the story of people’s lives, histories, and inner worlds.