Michael Joseph (1941-) - Man drinking under table
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Selected by Kai Brückner
Over 35 years' experience; former gallery owner and Museum Folkwang curator.
Estimate € 400 - € 500
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Description from the seller
Michael Joseph (b. 1941)
“Man Drinking Under Table”
Original Vintage Darkroom Print – England, 1970s
Silver gelatin print on original card mount
Mount dimensions: 30 cm high × 40 cm wide
Title hand-written by the photographer
Condition: Very good; mount very slightly aged, entirely consistent with vintage prints
Carefully packed and dispatched flat, fully protected
A masterclass in orchestrated theatricality, this delightfully eccentric tableau was created for a cigarette advertising campaign in the 1970s — from an era when every element had to be physically present and perfectly aligned before the shutter was released.
Set in what appears to be an English country garden pavilion (the venue was in fact very near Heathrow), the scene brims with character and wit: parasols, lace, top hats, silver service and champagne surround a flamboyant gathering mid-toast. Beneath the table, the eponymous gentleman lies triumphantly “drinking under” it — a visual punchline delivered with impeccable timing.
The location itself added an unexpected layer of complexity. Being so close to Heathrow, the cast’s performances were repeatedly interrupted by the roar of passing aircraft. Glasses were reset, gestures resumed, expressions held in suspension while waiting for the brief silence between flights. In those days there was no Photoshop, no digital layering, no post-production rescue. Light, costume, continuity, performance — all conditions had to be reunited simultaneously. If one element slipped, the entire scene had to be rebuilt and re-shot.
Michael Joseph is celebrated for his bold, witty group compositions that helped define British visual culture from the 1960s through the 1990s. Known for pushing the boundaries of fashion and portraiture, his large ensembles danced between chaos and control — appearing spontaneous yet in reality meticulously choreographed. Within the trade, any ambitious, fantastical staged photograph of this kind became known simply as “a Michael Joseph.”
This authentic silver gelatin print was hand-printed by Joseph in the darkroom. The vintage card mounting and the tactile depth of the traditional process give the image a richness and tonal subtlety that later reproductions simply cannot replicate.
Playful, clever and timelessly stylish, this is quintessential Joseph: exuberant visual theatre, technically demanding, and executed with immense preparation and creative energy.
A superb and highly collectable example of 1970s British advertising photography at its most inventive.
As always, this one-off historical piece will be packed with the utmost care and personal attention.
Seller's Story
My father, Michael Joseph, was a London-based advertising photographer from the mid-1960s to the early 1990s. Over those decades, he produced an extraordinary body of work—his most widely recognised image being the iconic Beggars Banquet gatefold for the Rolling Stones.
My ongoing mission is to share and celebrate what we call “the other photos”: the lesser-known but no less compelling images from his archive. These are the works that lived beyond the headlines—test prints, alternative frames from major shoots, and quieter, more personal photographs, all made with his characteristic intensity, discipline, and devotion to craft.
Much of their atmosphere comes from the darkroom itself. These are photographs shaped by light, timing, and handwork: intricate group compositions, sculptural still lifes, and moments that invite the viewer to linger and look again. Variety is central to the archive, and I frequently offer unique, one-off pieces that exist nowhere else.
I hope you enjoy discovering my father’s work as much as I enjoy sharing it, and that you find here not just an image, but a genuine piece of photographic history.
All works are dispatched carefully protected, and packed with devotion and care, appropriate to a one-off historical photographic print.
US purchasers please note: Customs and excise charges are paid at source and included in the postage fee. No further charges should be due on delivery, unless regulations change.
Michael Joseph (b. 1941)
“Man Drinking Under Table”
Original Vintage Darkroom Print – England, 1970s
Silver gelatin print on original card mount
Mount dimensions: 30 cm high × 40 cm wide
Title hand-written by the photographer
Condition: Very good; mount very slightly aged, entirely consistent with vintage prints
Carefully packed and dispatched flat, fully protected
A masterclass in orchestrated theatricality, this delightfully eccentric tableau was created for a cigarette advertising campaign in the 1970s — from an era when every element had to be physically present and perfectly aligned before the shutter was released.
Set in what appears to be an English country garden pavilion (the venue was in fact very near Heathrow), the scene brims with character and wit: parasols, lace, top hats, silver service and champagne surround a flamboyant gathering mid-toast. Beneath the table, the eponymous gentleman lies triumphantly “drinking under” it — a visual punchline delivered with impeccable timing.
The location itself added an unexpected layer of complexity. Being so close to Heathrow, the cast’s performances were repeatedly interrupted by the roar of passing aircraft. Glasses were reset, gestures resumed, expressions held in suspension while waiting for the brief silence between flights. In those days there was no Photoshop, no digital layering, no post-production rescue. Light, costume, continuity, performance — all conditions had to be reunited simultaneously. If one element slipped, the entire scene had to be rebuilt and re-shot.
Michael Joseph is celebrated for his bold, witty group compositions that helped define British visual culture from the 1960s through the 1990s. Known for pushing the boundaries of fashion and portraiture, his large ensembles danced between chaos and control — appearing spontaneous yet in reality meticulously choreographed. Within the trade, any ambitious, fantastical staged photograph of this kind became known simply as “a Michael Joseph.”
This authentic silver gelatin print was hand-printed by Joseph in the darkroom. The vintage card mounting and the tactile depth of the traditional process give the image a richness and tonal subtlety that later reproductions simply cannot replicate.
Playful, clever and timelessly stylish, this is quintessential Joseph: exuberant visual theatre, technically demanding, and executed with immense preparation and creative energy.
A superb and highly collectable example of 1970s British advertising photography at its most inventive.
As always, this one-off historical piece will be packed with the utmost care and personal attention.
Seller's Story
My father, Michael Joseph, was a London-based advertising photographer from the mid-1960s to the early 1990s. Over those decades, he produced an extraordinary body of work—his most widely recognised image being the iconic Beggars Banquet gatefold for the Rolling Stones.
My ongoing mission is to share and celebrate what we call “the other photos”: the lesser-known but no less compelling images from his archive. These are the works that lived beyond the headlines—test prints, alternative frames from major shoots, and quieter, more personal photographs, all made with his characteristic intensity, discipline, and devotion to craft.
Much of their atmosphere comes from the darkroom itself. These are photographs shaped by light, timing, and handwork: intricate group compositions, sculptural still lifes, and moments that invite the viewer to linger and look again. Variety is central to the archive, and I frequently offer unique, one-off pieces that exist nowhere else.
I hope you enjoy discovering my father’s work as much as I enjoy sharing it, and that you find here not just an image, but a genuine piece of photographic history.
All works are dispatched carefully protected, and packed with devotion and care, appropriate to a one-off historical photographic print.
US purchasers please note: Customs and excise charges are paid at source and included in the postage fee. No further charges should be due on delivery, unless regulations change.
Details
Date of print
1970
Artist
Michael Joseph (1941-)
Sold by
Owner or reseller
Title of artwork
Man drinking under table
Condition
Original State
Technique
Gelatin-silver print
Height
26 cm
Edition
Vintage brown-toned edition from the seventies
Width
29 cm
Signature
Hand signed
Genre
Fine art photography
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