"Crocodile Eating Ballerina, 1983" 20x24 Vintage Silver Gelatin Print by Helmut Newton
A surreal and mesmerizing image, "Crocodile Eating Ballerina, Pina Bausch Ballet Wuppertal, 1983" is a striking fusion of high art, dance, and Newton’s signature cinematic aesthetic. Captured during a performance of Die Keuschheitslegende (The Legend of Virginity) at the Wuppertal Theatre, this image embodies the avant-garde and dramatic intensity of Pina Bausch’s revolutionary ballet.
Newton’s ability to blend movement, theatricality, and surrealism elevates this moment beyond mere documentation—it becomes a visual metaphor for the contrasts of elegance and danger, grace and absurdity. The ballerina’s poised delicacy juxtaposed with the exaggerated crocodile creates an image that is both humorous and unsettling, reinforcing Newton’s unique ability to challenge conventional norms in art and photography.
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Original vintage print from Newton’s celebrated performing arts series
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Shot in Wuppertal, Germany, 1983, featuring Pina Bausch’s avant-garde ballet
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A rare and thought-provoking blend of theater, dance, and surrealist photography
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Museum-quality, collectible fine art
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Image measures 16" x 21" on a 20" x 24" silver gelatin sheet
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Exhibits the classic silver gelatin finish, known for its depth and tonal contrast
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Includes a Certificate of Authenticity
Ships worldwide with insured priority delivery. Secure this Helmut Newton original print today and own an unforgettable piece of performing arts and photographic history.
Helmut Newton 20x24 Vintage Silver Gelatin Print
Specifications:
Vintage silver gelatin print measuring 20 x 24 inches (51 x 61 cm).
Print is in excellent condition and has never been framed or displayed.
This is a rare original vintage print produced in the 1980s in Paris
at the Colour Lab facility where Newton produced his prints for the majority of his career.
Shipping & Handling:
All Helmut Newton vintage prints ship insured worldwide via priority
delivery, free of charge. Prints are never folded and are shipped
flat with accompanying documents and Certificate of Authenticity.
Returns & Exchanges:
Prints in original condition may be returned within 45 days of purchase
for a refund, exchange, or gallery credit.
Provenance:
This collection of vintage prints was gifted to Newton’s agent, Norman
Solomon, in recognition of the work he had performed producing the Private
Property Collection and promoting a series of exhibitions in London,
Paris, New York, and Los Angeles in 1985. Read more.
The collection was legally transferred to Solomon in 1986 via written
agreement and further ratified in a legal settlement in 2012 with the Helmut
Newton Estate and Foundation in the Superior Court of Los Angeles,
California. It is recorded in the United States Copyright Office.
The signed agreement was certified & notarized recognizing Norman
Solomon as the legal owner, making these prints authentically supported by
legal agreement.
About the Artist:
Helmut Newton (1920-2004) was one of the world's most celebrated photographers
whose uniquely edgy imagery is coveted worldwide by collectors and aficionados
of photographic art. Mr. Newton’s "Private Property" exhibition
series was produced by agreement in Paris, London, and New York City in 1985.