Michael Joseph (1941-) - Napoleon seducing Josephine (blonde behind)
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Selected by Kai Brückner
Over 35 years' experience; former gallery owner and Museum Folkwang curator.
Estimate € 800 - € 900
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Description from the seller
Napoleon's Secret
Original Vintage Photograph by Michael Joseph
London, c. 1970
Photo taken in the 1970s
Original vintage gelatin silver print
Hand-signed by Michael Joseph
Image presented in archival mount
A sumptuous scene of secrecy, seduction and splendour.
Created in London around 1970, Napoleon's Secret is one of Michael Joseph's wonderfully theatrical tableaux, where history, humour and high drama collide. An elegantly dressed woman, crowned like an empress, sits beside a richly decorated Napoleonic officer, while, almost unnoticed in the shadows behind them, another figure quietly slips from behind the heavy velvet curtains, transforming an already lavish portrait into a delicious visual narrative.
Joseph had an extraordinary gift for creating photographs that rewarded repeated viewing. Every corner reveals another carefully considered detail: the glittering candelabrum, antique clock, polished silver, sumptuous fabrics and ornate interiors all combine to evoke the atmosphere of a grand aristocratic salon. Yet beneath the elegance lies intrigue. Is this an affair? A political conspiracy? A clandestine escape? The photograph leaves the story tantalisingly unresolved.
Printed by Michael Joseph in the darkroom, this is an authentic vintage photographic print, not a modern reproduction. It beautifully demonstrates the cinematic compositions and meticulous staging that made his advertising photography so distinctive throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s.
A rare collector's piece combining period glamour, playful storytelling and photographic craftsmanship.
This unique darkroom print displays age-related creases, surface undulations and small handling marks, all entirely consistent with an original photograph that has survived for over 55 years. Far from detracting, these authentic signs of age contribute to its charm, provenance and historical character.
#MichaelJoseph #VintagePhotography #GelatinSilverPrint #DarkroomPrint #SignedPhotograph #Napoleon #HistoricalPortrait #CinematicPhotography #FineArtPhotography #BritishPhotography #VintagePrint #CollectorsEdition #TheatricalTableau #TimelessElegance #PhotographyCollector
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.
Napoleon's Secret
Original Vintage Photograph by Michael Joseph
London, c. 1970
Photo taken in the 1970s
Original vintage gelatin silver print
Hand-signed by Michael Joseph
Image presented in archival mount
A sumptuous scene of secrecy, seduction and splendour.
Created in London around 1970, Napoleon's Secret is one of Michael Joseph's wonderfully theatrical tableaux, where history, humour and high drama collide. An elegantly dressed woman, crowned like an empress, sits beside a richly decorated Napoleonic officer, while, almost unnoticed in the shadows behind them, another figure quietly slips from behind the heavy velvet curtains, transforming an already lavish portrait into a delicious visual narrative.
Joseph had an extraordinary gift for creating photographs that rewarded repeated viewing. Every corner reveals another carefully considered detail: the glittering candelabrum, antique clock, polished silver, sumptuous fabrics and ornate interiors all combine to evoke the atmosphere of a grand aristocratic salon. Yet beneath the elegance lies intrigue. Is this an affair? A political conspiracy? A clandestine escape? The photograph leaves the story tantalisingly unresolved.
Printed by Michael Joseph in the darkroom, this is an authentic vintage photographic print, not a modern reproduction. It beautifully demonstrates the cinematic compositions and meticulous staging that made his advertising photography so distinctive throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s.
A rare collector's piece combining period glamour, playful storytelling and photographic craftsmanship.
This unique darkroom print displays age-related creases, surface undulations and small handling marks, all entirely consistent with an original photograph that has survived for over 55 years. Far from detracting, these authentic signs of age contribute to its charm, provenance and historical character.
#MichaelJoseph #VintagePhotography #GelatinSilverPrint #DarkroomPrint #SignedPhotograph #Napoleon #HistoricalPortrait #CinematicPhotography #FineArtPhotography #BritishPhotography #VintagePrint #CollectorsEdition #TheatricalTableau #TimelessElegance #PhotographyCollector
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
1969
Artist
Michael Joseph (1941-)
Sold by
Owner or reseller
Title of artwork
Napoleon seducing Josephine (blonde behind)
Condition
Fine
Technique
Gelatin-silver print
Height
34 cm
Edition
Unique
Width
29 cm
Signature
Hand signed
Genre
Fine art photography
Sold by
