Leitz Photographica Auction “Perspectives”
Leitz Photographica Auction “Perspectives”
Portrait of fashion icon Elsa Schiaparelli sells for more than €30,000
Wetzlar, October 2026 More than 100 lots spanning over a century of photographic history went under the hammer at Leica Gallery Vienna on the 9th of October. A 1936 vintage print was the highlight of the “Perspectives” photography auction. The portrait of fashion icon Elsa Schiaparelli, taken by celebrated Vogue photographer Horst P. Horst (1906–1999), sold for €31,200.00 including the buyer’s premium — nearly three times its estimate (€8,000 to €12,000) and the highest price of the evening.
Horst P. Horst and Elsa Schiaparelli: A remarkable document of its time
The 1936 vintage print is notable for its exceptional composition. Horst P. Horst was a master of fashion photography, renowned for his sculptural compositions and timeless elegance. His photographs remain icons of fashion history, as he photographed leading figures in fashion, as well as artists, actors and other notable personalities of his time. His work in Paris, as well as his close ties to designers, artists and editors, made him a central figure on the international fashion scene.
Elsa Schiaparelli was part of that world. Alongside Coco Chanel, she was one of fashion’s great avant-garde designers. Through surrealist ideas, unconventional materials and bold colours—most notably, her famous “Shocking Pink”—she transformed clothing into art.
“Horst P. Horst was a master of fashion photography, renowned for his sculptural compositions and timeless elegance. His photographs remain icons of fashion history. In this portrait of Schiaparelli, his distinctive visual language meets the designer’s visionary creativity. This synergy results in an exceptional document of its time, giving the photograph particular significance for collectors,” says Caroline Guschelbauer, Head of Photographs at Leitz Photographica Auction.
The enduring appeal of fashion’s great icons was also evident in Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art , an exhibition on view at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum earlier this year.
Further highlights and camera auction in November
Works by Joel Meyerowitz, Nan Goldin and Stephen Shore were also featured in the auction. Other highlights included a photograph by Neil Armstrong showing astronaut Buzz Aldrin on the surface ofthe Moon, which sold for €3,840 including the buyer’s premium, and a work by Magnum photographer Sebastião Salgado documenting the burning oil fields of Kuwait in 1991. Salgado’s photograph sold for €5,400 including the buyer’s premium.
Unsold lots are available for purchase during the post-auction sale, which runs until the 31st of October. Leitz Photographica Auction will then turn its focus back to historic cameras and vintage photographic equipment, with Leitz Photographica Auction 49 taking place on the 28th of November at Leica Welt in Wetzlar.
