Sotheby’s auction breaks all records with $4.56 million sale of Ansel Adams’ work

In a testament to the enduring appeal of Ansel Adams’ photography, a collection of his prints recently sold at Sotheby’s auction for a staggering $4.56 million. The sale surpassed pre-sale estimates and set new records for Adams’ work.

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The Meredith Collection, comprising 96 lots, featured images printed by Adams himself and gifted to The Friends of Photography. The auction saw intense bidding, with 77% of the lots selling above their pre-sale high estimates. 41 of the auctioned images sold for new record-high prices, highlighting the continued demand for Adams’ work.

Among the highlights of the auction were iconic images like Aspens, New Mexico (Vertical), which sold for $720,000, and the Surf Sequence series, which fetched $576,000. Even more impressive was the sale of The Snake River & the Tetons, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, which commanded a price of $96,000, surpassing previous records.

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Lynn and Tom Meredith, the stewards of the collection, commented:

“We are thrilled with the outstanding results of the auction and deeply gratified to see Ansel Adams’ legacy honored in such a profound way. This collection represents the very essence of Adams’ vision — his reverence for the natural world, his technical mastery, and his unwavering commitment to photography as an art form. To witness these works receive the recognition they so richly deserve, through the extraordinary enthusiasm of collectors from around the world, has been a humbling and deeply fulfilling experience. We are proud to have played a role in preserving and sharing Adams’ enduring contributions to art and photography.”

Ansel Adams was a renowned and revolutionary landscape photographer known for his black-and-white images that capture the grandeur of the American West. His attention to detail and his invention and use of the Zone System have made him legendary in the world of photography. Earlier this year, Sixteen of Ansel Adams’ most iconic landscape images were featured in a set of US postage stamps.

The record-breaking auction of the Meredith Collection underscores the enduring appeal of Ansel Adams’ photography. His images continue to inspire photographers and collectors worldwide, solidifying his legacy as one of the most influential photographers of all time.

[via PetaPixel]

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