Philippe Halsman - Albert Einstein

This is an extraordinary portrait by Philippe Halsman of the mathematical genius Albert Einstein, probably dating from 1947.

Philippe Halsman is still regarded today as one of the greatest portraitists in the history of world photography, and of course the most famous Latvian-born artist, who photographed in splendid portraits the greatest actresses of the 1940s and 1950s, among whom Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, Grace Kelly, Ava Gardner and figures from politics and culture around the world, among whom Albert Einstein, about whom several portraits are known, and this one now for sale is certainly among the most significant and evocative of all those taken by this great photographer.

This image shows Albert Einstein thoughtful and almost dreamlike, a classic studio photograph, a portrait executed with Halsman’s usual mastery.

The photograph is vintage, authentic from the 1940s, the format is 22.3x17.8 cm, and the preservation conditions are really excellent. Halsman stamp on the back, with pencil annotations.