Lot 34
Brian Duffy(1933-2010)David Bowie, "Aladdin Sane" (Eyes Open)
Amended
4 October 2021, 14:00 EDT
New YorkSold for US$47,812.50 inc. premium
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Brian Duffy (1933-2010)
David Bowie, "Aladdin Sane" (Eyes Open), 1973
Archival pigment print, printed later, signed and numbered '1/5' in ink by the artist and Duffy Archive blindstamp in the margin; signed and dated '9/2/15' by Chris Duffy, Archive Administrator, in ink and Duffy Archive stamp on the verso.
sheet 40 x 40in (101.5 x 101.5cm)
Archival pigment print, printed later, signed and numbered '1/5' in ink by the artist and Duffy Archive blindstamp in the margin; signed and dated '9/2/15' by Chris Duffy, Archive Administrator, in ink and Duffy Archive stamp on the verso.
sheet 40 x 40in (101.5 x 101.5cm)
Footnotes
Brian Duffy first came into prominence in London in the 1960s alongside fellow fashion photographers David Bailey, Terry O'Neill and Terence Donovan (or the "Black Trinity", as they were called by Norman Parkinson.)
Duffy worked on his first assignment with David Bowie in 1972, during the musician's Ziggy Stardust period. They had an instant rapport and collaborated on various other projects, during which time Duffy photographed and sometimes even helped shape Bowie's various extraordinary stage personae. It was Duffy who carved the red and blue lightning bolt in lipstick across Bowie's face for the album cover of his iconic Aladdin Sane album, being offered here. Chris Duffy, Duffy's son, has recalled in magazine interviews that the famous red and blue lightning bolt painted across Bowie's face was, in fact, inspired by the logo on a rice cooker in a studio kitchen. 'I remember David sitting in front of it with Pierre Laroche (make-up artist), and they had obviously talked about using this flash. Well, Pierre started to apply this tiny little flash on his face and when Duffy saw it he said 'No, not like that, like this.' He literally drew it right across his face and said to Pierre, 'Now, fill that in!'
When asked about this historic sitting, Duffy said "Talking about a creative session is like talking about a boxing match. It happened because there was a little bit of magic in the room that night. I'll say it myself, it's a f***ing great cover."
A print of this image in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London was donated by David Bowie.
An oversized contact sheet from the Aladdin Saneshoot is also being offered later in this sale - lot 83.
Saleroom notices
Some notes to supplement and update existing cataloguing: This print is signed by David Bowie and not Brian Duffy. This was the only edition of this print David Bowie ever signed and it was the lead image to the V&A's David Bowie Is exhibition which then toured worldwide. Please note that the date of '2015' (when the work was printed) in the margin has been mistaken for an edition size of '1/5'. This image was not the cover of "Aladdin Sane" but from the same, iconic sitting. Please refer to the condition report for additional literature references.
