Sensational Prize for "Movement Study" by Koppitz
Great overall result for 11th WestLicht Photo Auction

At 90,000 euros, Rudolf Koppitz's movement study (starting price: 25,000 euros) achieved one of the highest prices ever paid for a photograph in Austria at the 11th WestLicht Photo Auction on Friday. Offered was a vintage silver gelatine print from 1925. The movement study is one of the most internationally renowned Austrian photographs from the first half of the 20th century and has been published countless times. The fascination of the image's mysterious aura and symbolist sensuality is still undiminished today, as the sensational result shows. With an excellent sales rate of 77 percent, WestLicht was once again able to confirm its leading position in photo auctions in Austria. The series of Mick and Bianca Jagger, photographed by Leni Riefenstahl for the Sunday Times in 1974, also achieved an excellent result. With a price of 45,600 euros, it clearly surpassed the starting price of 12,000 euros. Among the other highlights of the auction: Marc Riboud's A street in Beijing as seen from inside an antique dealer's shop, 1965, sold for 10.800 Euro after an exciting bidding battle (starting price: 1.500 Euro). The Identical Twins by Diane Arbus climbed to a price of 72,000 euros (starting price 40,000 euros). Irving Penn's Japanese Girl from 1980 also delighted a buyer with its seriously cheeky look, who paid 9,600 euros for it (starting price: 3,600 euros). All prices are hammer prices including premium.

Photos: Christine Miess (WestLicht)