Irving Penn’s 2 Guedras

A famous 1972 photograph by Irving Penn of two Guedra dancers from Morocco sold for a whopping $314,500 at auction this past week, the centerpiece of the largest collection of photos from the iconic photographer ever to be put up for sale.

A platinum-palladium print, “2 Guedras” was given an estimated price of $40,000 – $60,000, yet fetched much higher than anyone could have predicted. The image shows two thickly veiled women posing for their picture. Penn himself described the dancers from Goulimine, Morocco, as artists whose dance “has its roots in a very ancient cultural ceremony, a symbolism that has been lost in time.”

“Those chosen sat, eyes fixed on the lens, enjoying the camera’s scrutiny yet themselves impenetrable, unhurried during the considerable time we spent together,” Penn said.

Also at the Christie’s auction was an autographed retrospective from famed Canadian-Armenian portrait photographer Yousuf Karsh. A signed copy of the book that takes a look at Karsh’s 50+ year career is priced at $980.

Irving Penn, who was more widely known for his fashion photography, died late last year at the age of 92.