Michael Joseph (1941-) - Lady Admiring Machine - unique darkroom black and white print

“Lady Admiring Machine”
Michael Joseph, 1960s
Original darkroom print, signed

A moment of mid-century mischief — crisp, comic, and perfectly staged.

At first glance, it’s a simple showroom scene:
a gleaming new machine,
a chic woman in her checked coat and fur trim,
and a salesman standing proudly at her side.
But pause for a second — and the photograph begins to sparkle with humour.

Is she genuinely impressed,
leaning in with the curiosity of a careful buyer?
Or is she inspecting it with the scepticism
of someone who knows a sales pitch when she hears one?
And the salesman — hands on hips, chest out,
the picture of confidence —
is he selling the product,
or simply enjoying the performance of selling?

Joseph turns an advertisement setup
into a miniature piece of theatre.
The tiled floor becomes a stage,
the spotless background a spotlight,
and the trio — woman, salesman, machine —
form a tidy little cast in this comedy of consumerism.

The wicker shopping basket,
with its neatly placed magazine advertising “Jazz,”
adds another sly detail:
a nod to modernity, aspiration, lifestyle —
all the elements that advertising of the era
was eager to wrap into even the most practical household purchase.

This is classic Michael Joseph:
a scene that appears straightforward
yet is filled with character, irony, and an unmistakable wink.
Long before his Beggars Banquet images roared with rebellious energy,
Joseph had already mastered the art of elevating the everyday
into something cinematic, stylish, and deeply human.

Printed in the 1960s,
this original darkroom print shows the crisp tonal range
and impeccable clarity that define his studio advertising work.
Released from the artist’s archive and preserved by his daughter,
it is a rare surviving piece from this playful period of his career.

Mounted to 50 × 40 cm.

It will be packaged with great care and devotion,
honouring the craftsmanship and history of these one-off vintage prints
from Michael Joseph’s collection.