Alberto Korda (1928–2001) - Fidel Castro es testigo del desfile militar en la Plaza Roja de Moscú, 1 de mayo de 1963 + COA.

Auction: "Alberto Korda, personal archive".

Original photographs from Alberto Korda's personal archive, certified by his sole universal heir, Diana Díaz López.

Note about this photograph in particular:

* "Fidel Castro is witness to the military parade in Red Square, Moscow, May 1, 1963 + COA".

* This photograph bears the photographer’s dry stamp and the COA (Certificate of Authenticity) signed by his daughter Diana Diaz, giving authenticity to the photograph.

It is important to know that copies from this period onward lost much of their quality because the negatives deteriorated over the years and marks appeared that made reproductions of the same quality and tonal intensity as these we offer impossible.
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An unprecedented proposal of historical, artistic and documentary value

In the world of art and documentary photography, there are moments that mark a before and after. This auction represents one of them. For the first time, the public is offered an exclusive selection of original photographs from the personal archive of Alberto Korda, the famous Cuban photographer whose work not only defined the visual language of the Cuban Revolution, but also became an icon of twentieth-century history.

Beyond his renowned authorship of the mythical portrait of Ernesto “Che” Guevara —an image that has transcended cultures as a symbol of rebellion, dignity and idealism—, becoming the most reproduced image in human history.
Korda was an artist deeply committed to his time, a sensitive observer of his environment and a visual chronicler of an unprecedented political, social and human process.

The works presented in this auction are not mere reproductions or copies without a defined origin: they come directly from the artist’s personal archive, and represent a unique, unrepeatable opportunity to acquire pieces with a degree of authenticity and traceability practically impossible to find today on the international market.
The blacks tones of the photographs reveal the extreme image quality directly from the negative, rarely can this level of quality be achieved in later copies.
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Guaranteed authenticity: The priceless value of the certificate signed by Diana Díaz.

The element that definitively distinguishes this collection is that each photograph is delivered with an authenticity certificate issued and personally signed by Diana Díaz, the唯一 universal heir legally recognized of Alberto Korda’s legacy by his father and the only person authorized to certify the work.

This detail, far from being a mere documentary formality, constitutes an absolute guarantee of the origin, legitimacy and authenticity of the work. In the world of collecting, provenance is a decisive factor, and having the direct endorsement of the person legally empowered and heir to validate Korda’s work adds tangible and intangible value that is incalculable.

Diana Díaz has been, for decades, the caretaker of her father’s personal archive, and her role as guardian of that legacy has been recognized both in Cuba and internationally. No other person in the world has the legal authority to issue authenticity certificates for Alberto Korda’s works. Therefore, acquiring a photograph with her certifying signature is to ensure a direct and legitimate link with the author, his original archive and his family history.

In the art market, this legitimacy is more than a guarantee: it is a safe investment, a seal of exclusivity and protection against the proliferation of counterfeit copies or unverified prints circulating without support.
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A living legacy: Art, revolution and humanity

The photographs available in this auction reflect different facets of Korda’s gaze: from intimate portraits of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara, to spontaneous scenes of the Cuban people, revolutionary women, children in schools, workers, parades and moments of deep social symbolism. Each image encapsulates the energy of a particular era and the sensibility of an artist who knew how to portray not only the leaders, but also the soul of the people.

The beauty of his work lies in the ability to capture emotion, the smallest gesture and human dignity, even in complex contexts. His humanist style, deeply, continues to be studied in art and photography schools for its aesthetic precision and narrative charge.

Korda was not merely a witness to history. He was its visual interpreter, his black-and-white poet. And his personal archive — jealously guarded to this day — represents a vast artistic and documentary reserve of enormous historical value.
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An exclusive opportunity for collectors and institutions

This event is not only relevant for private collectors, but also for cultural institutions, museums, archives, foundations and universities that wish to incorporate into their holdings a piece of contemporary history signed by one of its visual protagonists.

The combination between:
• Direct provenance from the author’s archive.
• The personal and legal certification of Diana Díaz.
• The image quality, aesthetics and historical value of each photograph.

Transforms these pieces into highly valuable collection items whose prestige and price will only rise over time. In the art world, few opportunities combine history, exclusivity, provenance and authentication with such force as this.
This is not just art. It is living history.
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Biography of ALBERTO KORDA (1928-2001).
Alberto Korda: The Eye of the Cuban Revolution.
The beginnings: From fashion to revolution

Born as Alberto Díaz Gutiérrez in Havana, Cuba, on September 14, 1928, Korda began his career in commercial and fashion photography. During the 1950s, he founded a studio with his partner, where they specialized in portraits of celebrities, models and advertising. His talent for framing, light and composition already stood out in this early stage, and his images revealed a refined aesthetic sensibility that he would later apply to a very different context.

However, his fate changed radically from 1959, with the triumph of the Revolution led by Fidel Castro. Fascinated by the energy and idealism of the new political process, Korda devoted himself to documenting social change from within, becoming the official photographer of the newspaper Revolución. His closeness to the revolutionary leaders gave him privileged access to intimate scenes, historic speeches, diplomatic trips and everyday moments of revolutionary life.
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A visual testimony of the Revolution

Korda was an exceptional witness to some of the most emblematic moments in Cuba’s contemporary history. Over more than a decade, he captured in black and white Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Camilo Cienfuegos, Raúl Castro and a diversity of actors in the revolutionary process, as well as the Cuban people in their daily life: peasants, workers, children and women who embodied the ideals of social justice, literacy and sovereignty.

His work is characterized by an intense emotional charge and a capacity to find beauty and humanity in any scene. Korda stated that his photography was “of the soul, not of technique,” and that authenticity is felt in each of his compositions. His style is marked by the use of natural light, close framing and a deeply humanist gaze.
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The immortal image: Guerrillero Heroico

On March 5, 1960, during a funeral for the victims of the La Coubre ship explosion in Havana, Korda took what would become the most iconic photograph of the 20th century: the portrait of Ernesto “Che” Guevara, later titled Guerrillero Heroico. With a grave expression, a determined gaze and hair swept by the wind, the Che appears as a symbol of rebellion and determination.

Curiously, the image was not published by the Revolución newspaper the next day, and Korda kept it as part of his personal archive. Years later, the photograph was reproduced and widely disseminated, becoming a global symbol of resistance, idealism and the fight against oppression. It was adopted by social movements worldwide, from May 1968 to civil rights campaigns.

Despite the image’s popularity, Korda never charged rights for its use — except when it was used for commercial purposes, such as in a vodka advertising campaign, which led Korda to sue and win the case, donating the proceeds to Cuban public health.
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Beyond Che: An invaluable archive

Although Guerrillero Heroico made the headlines, Korda’s work is vast and goes far beyond that image. His archive includes:
• Close portraits of Fidel Castro, in moments of concentration, relaxation or leadership.
• Scenes of the Cuban people, particularly women and children, highlighting dignity, hope and everyday beauty.
• Documentation of international missions, such as travels to the USSR and Africa, showing the Revolution’s diplomatic projection.
• Symbolic images, such as the militiawoman, the girl with the stick-doll, David and Goliath, where the contrast between violence and poetry creates a deeply moving effect.

Korda considered that one of his most important series was devoted to Cuban women, whom he portrayed as active protagonists of the revolutionary process. With these images, he helped challenge traditional gender roles and celebrate female strength.
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Legacy and international recognition

Alberto Korda died in Paris in 2001, while attending an exhibition of his work. His legacy, however, has continued to grow, with exhibitions in museums and galleries around the world.

His archive has been the subject of numerous publications and catalogs, and his works form part of private and public collections of the highest prestige worldwide. Korda is regarded as one of the most influential documentary photographers of the twentieth century, and his work holds not only artistic value but also historical, political and cultural significance.
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Each image offered in this auction is a window into the heart of a revolution, seen through the lens of an artist committed to his people and his history.
Owning a work by Alberto Korda is much more than acquiring a photograph: it is preserving a memory, it is engaging in dialogue with history, and it is paying tribute to an art that transformed politics into visual poetry.

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Note: Some descriptions are accompanied by illustrations from books about this image; the books shown are not included with the photograph for sale. The illustrative portraits of photographer Alberto Korda are also not included in the sale.

Important: The photographs will be shipped well protected so that they arrive to their recipient in perfect condition.