The German auction house Lempertz is set to host its spring photography auction, featuring 70 high-caliber works from the renowned collection of Miami-based philanthropist Martin Z. Margulies. This selection emphasizes socially relevant and humanistic photography, highlighted by a significant 76-image portfolio by Danny Lyon titled 'Conversation with the Dead,' which documents Texas prison life in the 1960s. The collection also spans influential American movements such as the New Topographic Movement and New Color Photography, featuring works by Lee Friedlander and Stephen Shore.
Beyond the Margulies Collection, the auction showcases a diverse range of 20th-century masterpieces, including a rare 1948 vintage print from Irving Penn’s ethnographic Cuzco series. Other notable lots include Walker Evans’ Depression-era documentation of Alabama, Peter Lindbergh’s industrial fashion photography for Vogue Italia, and contemporary wildlife pigment prints by Nick Brandt. The sale represents a comprehensive survey of the medium, from the political engagement of the Photo League to the evolution of modern fashion and landscape aesthetics.