Alberto Korda (1928–2001) - (XXL) "Che Guevara leyendo en el Torneo de pesca de Ernest Hemingway", La Habana, 1960 + COA.

Extraordinary auction: “Alberto Korda, personal archive.”

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

Note about this particular photograph:

* (XXL) “Che Guevara reading aboard the boat during the Ernest Hemingway Marlin Fishing Tournament,” Havana, May 1960 + COA.

* This photograph bears the photographer’s embossed stamp and the signature on the back of his daughter Diana Diaz, authenticating the photograph + 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 intensity of tones seen in the prints 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 an 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 image 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—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 works presented in this auction are not mere reproductions or copies of uncertain 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 provenance that is virtually impossible to find on the international market today.
The deep black tones in the photographs reveal the exceptional image quality achieved directly from the negative; it is rarely possible to find this level of quality in later prints.
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Guaranteed authenticity: The incalculable value of the certificate signed by Diana Díaz.

What definitively sets this collection apart is that each photograph comes with a certificate of authenticity issued and personally signed by Diana Díaz, her father Alberto Korda’s sole legally recognized universal heir 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 having 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 any backing.
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A living legacy: Art, revolution, and humanity

The photographs available in this auction reflect different facets of Korda’s perspective: from intimate portraits of Fidel Castro and Che Guevara to candid scenes of the Cuban people, revolutionary women, children at school, workers, parades, and moments of profound social symbolism. Each image encapsulates the energy of an 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 its ability to capture emotion, the smallest gesture, and human dignity, even amid complex circumstances. 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 guarded to this day—represents an artistic and documentary resource of enormous historical value.
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An exclusive opportunity for collectors and institutions

This event is relevant not only to private collectors, but also to cultural institutions, museums, archives, foundations, and universities wishing 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 the aesthetic and historical value of each photograph.

Makes these pieces 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 beginnings: From fashion to revolution

Born 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, 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 path changed radically from 1959 onward, 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 close ties with 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 record of the Revolution

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

His work is characterized by intense emotional force and an 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 funeral ceremony for the victims of the explosion aboard the ship La Coubre in Havana, 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 grave expression, a steady 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 protests 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, which led Korda to sue and win, donating the proceeds to Cuba’s public health system.
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Beyond Che: An invaluable archive

Although Guerrillero Heroico made 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, in which dignity, hope, and everyday beauty stand out.
• Documentation of international missions, such as trips to the USSR and Africa, which showed the Revolution’s diplomatic reach.
• Symbolic images such as the female militiaman, the girl with the wooden doll, and David and Goliath, in which the contrast between violence and poetry creates a deeply 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 part of 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. The illustrative portraits of photographer Alberto Korda are also not included in the sale.

Important: The photographs will be shipped with ample protection to ensure they arrive at their destination in perfect condition.

Condition: Very good. There is a piece of reinforcing tape on the upper part of the back that does not affect the front of the photograph in any way; it was added as reinforcement for an exhibition.