A large mural-sized Ansel Adams print titled “The Grand Tetons and the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming” just sold at Sotheby’s for $988,000. That’s a record for an Ansel Adams print, by the way. The print was valued between $400,000 and $600,000, so somebody really wanted to get their hands on this piece!
Ansel Adams’ Rarity
“There was an enthusiastic bidding battle involving at least six bidders,” said Emily Bierman, Head of Sotheby’s Photograph’s Department in New York.
We don’t blame them. The gelatin silver print is signature Adams — all velvety blacks, shimmering highlights, and dreamy composition. The image was shot in 1942, but this print was made (probably) in the 1960s. It was commissioned by the Department of the Interior in 1942.
Ansel’s Legacy
The stunning image is signed by Michael and Jeanne Adams (Michael is the great photographer’s son). The print was acquired from them in 2006 and was most recently displayed as a part of the David H. Arrington Collection at Texas Tech University.
Hopefully, whoever bought the print will continue loaning it out to museums — this work is simply too beautiful to be hanging up in a billionaire’s mountain “chalet.”
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