Alberto Korda (1928–2001) - Campesinos en discurso de la celebración del 26 de julio de Fidel Castro en Santiago, Revolución,

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:

* A group of farmers wearing their traditional straw hats watches intently, their gazes slightly raised toward the spot where Fidel Castro was delivering a speech. Captured in the early days of the Cuban Revolution, the scene reflects popular fervor and hope for social transformation.

At the center, a smiling farmer stands out, his face lit by a mixture of enthusiasm and pride. His hat bears the words: “Homeland or Death, We Are Winning – Battalion No. 116,” a handwritten declaration that underscores the intensity of the moment. A powerful image that captures the bond between the leader and his people, and the genuine commitment of those who believed in a different future from the very heart of the Cuban countryside.

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

It is important to know that later prints lost a great deal of quality, as the negatives deteriorated over the years and developed marks that made it impossible to produce reproductions with the quality and tonal intensity of those offered here.
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An unprecedented offering 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 is one of them. For the first time, an exclusive selection of original photographs from the personal archive of Alberto Korda, the celebrated Cuban photographer whose work not only defined the visual identity of the Cuban Revolution but also became an icon of twentieth-century history, is being made available to the public.

Beyond his renowned authorship of the legendary portrait of Ernesto “Che” Guevara—a photograph 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 works presented in this auction are not mere reproductions or copies with no clearly established provenance: they come directly from the artist’s personal archive and represent a unique, unrepeatable opportunity to acquire works with a degree of authenticity and traceability that is virtually impossible to find in today’s international market.
The deep black tones in the photographs reveal the exceptional image quality achieved directly from the negative; it is rare to find prints made later with this level of quality.
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Guaranteed authenticity: The incalculable value of a certificate signed by Diana Díaz

The feature that definitively distinguishes this collection is that each photograph is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity issued and personally signed by Diana Díaz, the sole universal heir legally recognized by her father as heir to Alberto Korda’s legacy, and the only person authorized to issue certificates for his work.

Far from being a mere documentary formality, this detail constitutes an absolute guarantee of the work’s origin, legitimacy, and authenticity. In the world of collecting, provenance is a decisive factor, and the direct endorsement of the person authorized by law and inheritance to authenticate Korda’s work adds incalculable tangible and intangible value.

For decades, Diana Díaz has cared for her father’s personal archive, and her work 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 certificates of authenticity for Alberto Korda’s works. Therefore, acquiring a photograph bearing her certification signature ensures a direct and legitimate connection to the artist, his original archive, and his family history.

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

The photographs available in this auction reflect different aspects of Korda’s vision: from intimate portraits of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara to candid scenes of the Cuban people, revolutionary women, schoolchildren, workers, parades, and moments of profound social symbolism. Each image encapsulates the energy of an era and the sensibility of an artist who knew how to portray not only its leaders, but also the soul of its people.

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

Korda was not merely a witness to history. He was its visual interpreter, its poet in black and white. And his personal archive—carefully safeguarded to this day—represents an artistic and documentary treasure of immense historical value.
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An exclusive opportunity for collectors and institutions

This event is significant not only for private collectors, but also for cultural institutions, museums, archives, foundations, and universities seeking to add to their collections a piece of contemporary history signed by one of its visual protagonists.

The combination of:

• Direct provenance from the artist’s archive.
• Personal and legal certification by Diana Díaz.
• The image quality and aesthetic and historical significance of each photograph.

Makes these works highly valuable cultural and financial collectibles, whose prestige and market value will only increase over time.

In the art world, few opportunities combine history, exclusivity, provenance, and authentication as powerfully as this one.

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 early years: From fashion to revolution

Born Alberto Díaz Gutiérrez in Havana, Cuba, on September 14, 1928, Korda began his career in commercial and fashion photography. In the 1950s, he founded a studio with his business partner, specializing in portraits of celebrities and models, as well as advertising. His talent for framing, lighting, and composition was already evident at this early stage, and his images revealed a refined aesthetic sensibility that he would later apply in a very different context.

However, his destiny changed radically in 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 for the newspaper Revolución. His proximity 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 testament to the Revolution

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

His work is distinguished by its powerful emotional charge and its ability to find beauty and humanity in any scene. Korda said that his photography was “of the soul, not of technique,” and that authenticity can be felt in every one of his compositions. His style is marked by the use of natural light, close framing, and a deeply humanist perspective.
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The immortal image: Guerrillero Heroico

On March 5, 1960, during a memorial service in Havana for the victims of the explosion aboard the ship La Coubre, Korda took what would become the most iconic photograph of the twentieth century: the portrait of Ernesto “Che” Guevara, later titled Guerrillero Heroico. With a solemn expression, a resolute gaze, and hair blowing in the wind, Che appears as a symbol of rebellion and determination.

Curiously, the image was not published by the newspaper Revolución the following day, and Korda kept it in his personal archive. Years later, the photograph was widely reproduced and circulated, becoming a global symbol of resistance, idealism, and the struggle against oppression. It was adopted by social movements around the world, from the French May uprising to civil rights campaigns.

Despite the image’s popularity, Korda never charged royalties for its use—except when it was used for commercial purposes, as in the case of a vodka advertising campaign. Korda sued and won the case, donating the proceeds to Cuba’s public healthcare system.
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Beyond Che: An invaluable archive

Although Guerrillero Heroico captured the headlines, Korda’s body of work is vast and extends far beyond that image. His archive includes:
• Close-up 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, showing the Revolution’s diplomatic reach.
• Symbolic images, such as the militiamilitia member, the girl with the stick doll, and David and Goliath, in which the contrast between violence and poetry creates a profoundly moving effect.

Korda considered one of his most important series to be the one devoted to Cuban women, whom he portrayed as active participants in the revolutionary process. Through these images, he helped challenge traditional gender roles and celebrate women’s 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 are held in some of the world’s most prestigious private and public collections. Korda is considered one of the most influential documentary photographers of the twentieth century, and his work has artistic as well as historical, political, and cultural value.
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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 their history.
Owning a work by Alberto Korda means much more than acquiring a photograph: it means preserving a memory, engaging with history, and paying tribute to an art that transformed politics into visual poetry.

Note: Some descriptions are accompanied by illustrations from books about the image. The books shown are not included with the photograph for sale. Illustrative portraits of the photographer Alberto Korda are also not included in the sale, nor are any other illustrative photographs.

Important: The photographs will be carefully protected for shipping so that they arrive at their destination in perfect condition.