Michael Joseph (1941-) - Museum fashion - Unique authentic darkroom test print
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€ 15
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Selected by Kai Brückner
Over 35 years' experience; former gallery owner and Museum Folkwang curator.
Estimate € 700 - € 900
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Description from the seller
“Museum Fashion”
Michael Joseph, 1970s
Original darkroom print, signed
A scene brimming with spectacle — witty, stylish, and wonderfully theatrical.
At first glance, it is simply a museum gallery:
armour on plinths, weapons on the walls,
an ornate chandelier hovering above the hall.
But step into the photograph
and the whole room stirs into story.
Two impeccably dressed women stroll through the armoury,
their tailored coats and purposeful elegance
set in mischievous counterpoint
to the steel helmets and medieval cuirasses surrounding them.
One slips on a knight’s helm with delightful nonchalance;
the other, chic beneath her white hat,
glances over with a conspiratorial smile.
Behind them, the museum guard gestures in alarm —
is he admonishing, guiding, or simply astonished?
A young girl peers up from beneath a visor,
half-hidden and wholly enchanted.
Every figure in the room seems to be performing,
as if Joseph whispered stage directions
only they could hear.
Michael Joseph adored scenes like this:
places where order and chaos intercept,
where fashion wanders boldly into history
and both emerge transformed.
Though celebrated for the mythic swagger of Beggars Banquet,
his commercial and editorial work
was rich with these layered tableaux —
clever, human, irresistibly alive.
It is no wonder that images of this calibre
quietly shaped the success of the brands he worked with.
A composition this stylish, this witty,
would have given any fashion house —
including the duffle-coat company —
a distinctive lift in visibility and desirability.
Joseph understood how to make clothing not just worn,
but storied.
The sepia-warm tones of this original 1970s darkroom print
lend the scene a cinematic depth,
softening grandeur, heightening mischief,
turning the museum into a stage
where elegance and armour, propriety and play,
meet in perfect tension.
Preserved in the artist’s archive
and released by his daughter,
this is a rare, characterful vintage piece
from a particularly imaginative chapter of Joseph’s career.
Mounted to 50 × 40 cm,
and packaged with great care and devotion —
continuing the same respect and preservation
given to every surviving one-off print
from Michael Joseph’s collection.
#MichaelJosephPhotography #VintageFashionPhotography #1970sArt #DarkroomPrint #MuseumPhotography #FashionHistory #EditorialPhotography #BritishPhotographers #CollectibleArt #AnaloguePhotography #VintagePrints #ArtCollectors #Dufflecoats #Seventiesphotography
Seller's Story
My father, Michael Joseph, was an advertising photographer based in London from the mid-sixties to the early nineties. During that time, he created some truly remarkable work — his most famous moment being the Beggars Banquet gatefold for the Rolling Stones.
My ongoing mission is to share and celebrate what we call 'the other photos' — the lesser-known but equally captivating pieces from his archive. Within this collection, you'll find a mix of test prints, images from specific photo shoots, and more personal works, all created with his characteristic passion and devotion.
Many of these images owe their atmosphere to the magic of the darkroom: intricate group scenes, striking still lifes, and moments that draw the viewer in and stir emotion. Variety is key - and I often offer unique, one-off pieces.
I hope you enjoy discovering my father’s work, and I look forward to sending you a genuine piece of photographic history.
Translated by Google Translate“Museum Fashion”
Michael Joseph, 1970s
Original darkroom print, signed
A scene brimming with spectacle — witty, stylish, and wonderfully theatrical.
At first glance, it is simply a museum gallery:
armour on plinths, weapons on the walls,
an ornate chandelier hovering above the hall.
But step into the photograph
and the whole room stirs into story.
Two impeccably dressed women stroll through the armoury,
their tailored coats and purposeful elegance
set in mischievous counterpoint
to the steel helmets and medieval cuirasses surrounding them.
One slips on a knight’s helm with delightful nonchalance;
the other, chic beneath her white hat,
glances over with a conspiratorial smile.
Behind them, the museum guard gestures in alarm —
is he admonishing, guiding, or simply astonished?
A young girl peers up from beneath a visor,
half-hidden and wholly enchanted.
Every figure in the room seems to be performing,
as if Joseph whispered stage directions
only they could hear.
Michael Joseph adored scenes like this:
places where order and chaos intercept,
where fashion wanders boldly into history
and both emerge transformed.
Though celebrated for the mythic swagger of Beggars Banquet,
his commercial and editorial work
was rich with these layered tableaux —
clever, human, irresistibly alive.
It is no wonder that images of this calibre
quietly shaped the success of the brands he worked with.
A composition this stylish, this witty,
would have given any fashion house —
including the duffle-coat company —
a distinctive lift in visibility and desirability.
Joseph understood how to make clothing not just worn,
but storied.
The sepia-warm tones of this original 1970s darkroom print
lend the scene a cinematic depth,
softening grandeur, heightening mischief,
turning the museum into a stage
where elegance and armour, propriety and play,
meet in perfect tension.
Preserved in the artist’s archive
and released by his daughter,
this is a rare, characterful vintage piece
from a particularly imaginative chapter of Joseph’s career.
Mounted to 50 × 40 cm,
and packaged with great care and devotion —
continuing the same respect and preservation
given to every surviving one-off print
from Michael Joseph’s collection.
#MichaelJosephPhotography #VintageFashionPhotography #1970sArt #DarkroomPrint #MuseumPhotography #FashionHistory #EditorialPhotography #BritishPhotographers #CollectibleArt #AnaloguePhotography #VintagePrints #ArtCollectors #Dufflecoats #Seventiesphotography
Seller's Story
My father, Michael Joseph, was an advertising photographer based in London from the mid-sixties to the early nineties. During that time, he created some truly remarkable work — his most famous moment being the Beggars Banquet gatefold for the Rolling Stones.
My ongoing mission is to share and celebrate what we call 'the other photos' — the lesser-known but equally captivating pieces from his archive. Within this collection, you'll find a mix of test prints, images from specific photo shoots, and more personal works, all created with his characteristic passion and devotion.
Many of these images owe their atmosphere to the magic of the darkroom: intricate group scenes, striking still lifes, and moments that draw the viewer in and stir emotion. Variety is key - and I often offer unique, one-off pieces.
I hope you enjoy discovering my father’s work, and I look forward to sending you a genuine piece of photographic history.
Translated by Google TranslateDetails
Date of print
1970
Artist
Michael Joseph (1941-)
Sold by
Owner or reseller
Title of artwork
Museum fashion - Unique authentic darkroom test print
Condition
Original State
Technique
Gelatin-silver print
Height
36 cm
Edition
Darkroom print by the photographer
Width
28.5 cm
Signature
Hand signed
Genre
Fashion
Sold by
