Front / Recto

  • Title Metamorphosis 587 (Metamorphose 587)
  • Negative Date 1936
  • Print Date 1936
  • Medium Gelatin silver print
  • Dimensions Image 11 1/2 × 9 1/8" (29.2 × 23.2 cm)
  • Place Taken Tel Aviv
  • Credit Line Thomas Walther Collection. The Family of Man Fund
  • MoMA Accession Number 1761.2001
  • Copyright © Estate Helmar Lerski, Museum Folkwang, Essen

Back / Verso

  • Mount Type No mount
  • Marks and Inscriptions Signed in black ink on sheet recto, bottom right: Lerski. Inscribed in pencil on sheet verso, top left: TW 11/84. Inscribed in pencil on sheet verso, center: 587. Inscribed in pencil on sheet verso, bottom left: 1184.587. Inscribed in pencil on sheet verso, bottom right: TW 841002.
  • Provenance The artist, Tel Aviv; by inheritance to the artist's estate (Walter Marti and Reni Mertens), Zurich [1]; possibly purchased by Galerie Rudolf Kicken, Cologne, early 1980s [2]. Sander Gallery (Gerd Sander), New York [3]; purchased by Thomas Walther, December 10, 1984 [4]; purchased by The Museum of Modern Art, New York, 2001.
    [1] Rudolf Kicken, conversation with Simon Bieling, Kicken Berlin, February 17, 2004.
    [2] Ibid.; and Ina Schmidt-Runke (Kicken Berlin), e-mail to Maria Morris Hambourg, November 13, 2013.
    [3] Sander Gallery invoice no. 1284.3.GS, December 10, 1984, inventory no. 1184.587, annotated with Thomas Walther archival no. TW 841002.
    [4] Ibid.

Surface

  • Retouch Detail
    Detail showing retouching on the negative. The area of detail is 11.5 x 18 mm. Department of Conservation, MoMA
    Detail showing retouching on the negative and etching of the print surface. The area of detail is 11.5 x 18 mm. Department of Conservation, MoMA
  • Surface Sheen Semireflective
  • Techniques Retouching (additive)
    Enlargement
    Retouching in negative
    Retouching (reductive)
  • PTM
    Detail view of the recto of the artwork made using reflectance transformation imaging (RTI) software, which exaggerates subtle surface details and renders the features of the artwork plainly visible. Department of Conservation, MoMA
  • Micro-raking
    Raking-light close-up image, as shot. Area of detail is 6.7 x 6.7 mm. Department of Conservation, MoMA
    Raking-light close-up image, processed. Processing included removal of color, equalization of the histogram, and sharpening, all designed to enhance visual comparison. Department of Conservation, MoMA

Paper Material

  • Format Metric
  • Weight Double weight
  • Thickness (mm) 0.31
  • UV Fluorescence Recto negative
    Verso negative
  • Fiber Analysis Softwood bleached sulfite 99%
    Hardwood bleached sulfite 1%
  • Material Techniques Developing-out paper
  • XRF

    This work was determined to be a gelatin silver print via X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry.

    The following elements have been positively identified in the work, through XRF readings taken from its recto and verso (or from the mount, where the verso was not accessible):

    • Recto: P, S, Ca, Zn, Sr, Ag, Ba
    • Verso: Al, P, S, Ca, Zn, Sr, Ba

    The graphs below show XRF spectra for three areas on the print: two of the recto—from areas of maximum and minimum image density (Dmax and Dmin)—and one of the verso or mount. The background spectrum represents the contribution of the XRF instrument itself. The first graph shows elements identified through the presence of their characteristic peaks in the lower energy range (0 to 8 keV). The second graph shows elements identified through the presence of their characteristic peaks in the higher energy range (8 to 40 keV).

    Areas examined: Recto (Dmax: black; Dmin: green), Verso or Mount (blue), Background (red)
    Elements identified: Al, P, S, Ca, Ag, Ba
    Areas examined: Recto (Dmax: black; Dmin: green), Verso or Mount (blue), Background (red)
    Elements identified: Zn, Sr, Ag

In Context

Historical Exhibitions

  • Gallery Divan, Jerusalem. Verwandlungen durch Licht. Organized by Elisier Lubrani. Opened April 4, 1936.

    Kunstgalerie Neumann & Salzer, Vienna. Der Mensch. Organized by Professor Dr. Maz Eisler. Opened September 1936.

    Academy Cinema, London. Metamorphosis through Light: The Photographs of Helmar Lerski. Slide show. Summer 1938.

    Bezalel Museum of Art, Jerusalem. 30 Years of Photographic Work. 1941.

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