Alberto Korda (1928–2001) - "Fidel Castro jugando al beisbol con Camilo Cienfuegos", enero de 1959 + COA.

Extraordinary 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 particular photograph:

* "Fidel Castro playing baseball with Camilo Cienfuegos", January 1959 + COA.

Iconic image showing Fidel Castro and Camilo Cienfuegos together. They played in January 1959, the same month as the Revolution’s Victory. It occurred in a friendly match organized between Rebels and Militiamen, at the Rebel Army stadium in Havana.
There is a famous anecdote about this moment: while they were playing, Fidel pitched, and he made a questionable play (some say it called an out somewhat “forced”). Camilo Cienfuegos, who was batting, did not protest. When someone asked him why he did not challenge the play, Camilo replied: "You don’t argue with Fidel, not even in baseball!" The phrase became very famous because it showed the enormous respect Camilo felt for Fidel.

* This photograph bears the photographer’s dry stamp + COA.

It is important to know that copies produced after this period lost much of their quality because the negatives aged and developed marks that made reproductions with the same quality and tonal intensity as the ones we offer practically impossible.
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An unprecedented historical, artistic and documentary value proposition

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 has access to an exclusive selection of original photographs from Alberto Korda’s personal archive, the renowned Cuban photographer whose work not only defined visually the Cuban Revolution but also became an icon of 20th-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 surroundings and a visual chronicler of an unprecedented political, social and human process.

The pieces presented in this auction are not mere reproductions or copies without a defined origin: they come directly from the artist’s personal archive, and they represent a unique and unrepeatable opportunity to acquire pieces with a degree of authenticity and traceability virtually impossible to find today on the international market.
You can see in the blacks of the photographs the extreme image quality directly from the negative, a level rarely achievable 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 sole legally recognized universal heir of Alberto Korda’s legacy by her father and the only person authorized to certify the work.

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

Diana Díaz has, for decades, been the custodian of her father’s personal archive, and her role as guardian of that legacy has been recognized both in Cuba and internationally. No one else in the world has the legal authority to issue authenticity certificates for Alberto Korda’s works. Therefore, acquiring a photograph with her certificating signature is to secure a direct and legitimate link to 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 mark of exclusivity and protection against the proliferation of counterfeit copies or unverified prints that circulate without backing.
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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 sensitivity 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 slightest gesture and human dignity, even in complex contexts. His deeply humanist style continues to be studied in art and photography schools for its aesthetic precision and narrative charge.

Korda was not a mere witness of history. He was its visual interpreter, its poet in black and white. And his personal archive — jealously safeguarded to this day — represents a huge artistic and documentary reserve of 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 collections a piece of contemporary history signed by one of its visual protagonists.

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

Turns these pieces into highly valuable collectibles whose prestige and value will only grow over time.
In the art world, few opportunities combine history, exclusivity, provenance and authentication with such force as this.
It’s not just art. It’s 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 a partner, specializing 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 turned to documenting social change from within, becoming the official photographer for the newspaper Revolución. His closeness to the revolutionary leaders gave him privileged access to intimate scenes, historic speeches, diplomatic trips and daily moments of revolutionary life.
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A visual testimony of the Revolution

Korda was an exceptional witness to some of Cuba’s most emblematic moments in 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 load 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 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 steadfast gaze and wind-blown hair, the Che appears as a symbol of rebellion and determination.

Curiously, the image was not published by the Revolución daily 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 around the world, from May ’68 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 trips to the USSR and Africa, showcasing the Revolution’s diplomatic projection.
• Symbolic images, such as the miliciana, the girl with the stick doll, David and Goliath, where the contrast between violence and poetry creates a deeply moving effect.

Korda considered one of his most important series to be the one dedicated 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 passed away 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 are part of private and public collections of the highest prestige worldwide. Korda is regarded as one of the most influential documentary photographers of the 20th century, and his work carries 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 safeguarding a memory, engaging in dialogue with history, and paying tribute to an art that transformed politics into visual poetry.

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, nor are other illustrative photographs.

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