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MAN RAY (1890-1976)
James Joyce. Silver print, 11
1
/
2
x9 inches (29.1x22.9 cm.), with Man Ray’s signature, in pencil, on
recto and his 8 rue du Val-de-Grace, Paris 5e, France, Danton 92-95 hand stamp on verso. 1922;
printed before 1938
[12,000/18,000]
From the Zabriskie Gallery, NewYork City; to a Private NewYork Collector.Accompanied by a Certificate of
Authenticity signed by Virginia Zabriskie and dated June 9, 2006.
A rare, variant portrait of Joyce (1882-1941), which was created in anticipation of the publication of his groundbreaking
novel, Ulysses. Originally, Joyce’s work was published in serial form inThe American Review, until a court banned it as
obscene and publication work ceased. In 1922 Sylvia Beach of Shakespeare and Company decided to produce the novel
and sent the author to Man Ray for publicity photographs. On February 2, 1922, Joyce’s 40th birthday, she published
the first edition. Subsequently, more than 18 different editions have been produced.
Although Man Ray remembered that Joyce “seemed to consider the sitting a terrible nuisance,” he secured this moody
and dramatic likeness with characteristic visual verve. Joyce’s diminished eyesight was a constant challenge and one Man
Ray appears to comment upon.While Joyce’s dark suit is fully integrated into the black background,thereby foregrounding
the artist’s head, the intensely small, bright spot reflected in his spectacles may be seen to represent his illuminating vision.
