Alberto Korda (1928–2001) - (XXL) " Che Guevara jugando al golf en Villareal Golf Club, La Habana, Cuba, 1961 + 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:

* “Che Guevara playing golf at Villareal Golf Club, Havana, Cuba, 1961 + COA.”

* This photograph is signed by Alberto Korda and bears the photographer’s blind stamp. The reverse is also signed by his daughter Diana Diaz, authenticating the photograph + COA.
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An unprecedented offering of historical, artistic, and documentary value

In the world of art and documentary photography, some moments 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—a picture 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 offered 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 traceability that is virtually impossible to find on today’s international market.
The deep black tones of the photographs reveal the exceptional image quality achieved directly from the negative; this level of quality is rarely attainable in later prints.
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Guaranteed authenticity: The incalculable value of the certificate signed by Diana Díaz

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

Far from being a mere documentary formality, this detail provides an absolute guarantee of the work’s origin, legitimacy, and authenticity. In the collecting world, provenance is a determining factor, and direct endorsement from 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. Acquiring a photograph bearing her certification signature therefore 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 authorization.
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A living legacy: Art, revolution, and humanity

The photographs available in this auction reflect different facets 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 significance. 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 at 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 reserve of immense historical value.
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An exclusive opportunity for collectors and institutions

This event is of interest 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 significance of each photograph.

Makes these works items of exceptional cultural and economic value, whose prestige and market value will only increase over time.
In the art world, few opportunities bring together 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.

His path, however, 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 staff 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 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 photographed Fidel Castro, Che Guevara, Camilo Cienfuegos, Raúl Castro, and a wide range of figures in the revolutionary process in black and white, as well as ordinary Cubans in their daily lives: farmers, workers, children, and women who embodied the ideals of social justice, literacy, and sovereignty.

His work is characterized by its intense emotional power 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 composition. His style is marked by 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 somber expression, 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. Korda sued and won, donating the proceeds to Cuba’s public health system.
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Beyond Che: An invaluable archive

Although Guerrillero Heroico made 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 female militia member, the girl with the wooden 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 protagonists 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 is much more than acquiring a photograph: it is 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 in question; 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 carefully protected for shipping so that they arrive at their destination in perfect condition.