Robert F. SHEEHAN (1922-1969) Archival collection Part 1. Six color photographs, industrial c.

We are offering a significant archive of printed work by the late Robert F. SHEEHAN (1922-1969), a photographer recognized for being an early MOMA exhibiter of color photography as a form of artistic expression.  This lot and the following four contain a body of work from his early black and white through his most notable color abstracts which he referred to as Industrial Romanticism.

His work was recognized for its use of existing light and minimal darkroom manipulation. Edward Steichen included Sheehan in 5 MOMA color photography exhibits and used his slides in subsequent lectures, together with other notable modern photographers such as Harry Callahan, Robert Christie, Roman Vishniac, and others. Sheehan later exhibited in Chicago, other New York galleries (Witkin), and throughout Connecticut.

Nearly 50 years ago a body of his work was acquired by Philip and Ina Trager and put on permanent loan with Wesleyan University where it was exhibited in the Davison Art Center in 1987. The catalog from that exhibit--ROBERT F. SHEEHAN: COLOR PHOTOGRAPHY 1948 - 1958--explores the artist's mastery spanning from his early black & white portraits and cityscapes to color industrial abstraction. Sheehan's exploration of the medium included working with Cibachrome, Printon, and similar modern techniques and materials. He formed a company, Gammadion Film, presumably to process and prepare his photographs for exhibits--a number of our examples have labels, and at least one is stamped "Gammadion - Film ' Governement Generale Fuchsweise " with the photographer's name and address label as Scarsdale, N.Y.

The images were prepared for exhibition.  As the labels show, Sheehan only produced a few print examples of an image, in many cases no more than one.

This lot contains:

1. Literary Title: Industrial. Subject: Brown Tank, Etc.  1952. Process: Printon.  Number of prints: 1.  Exhibited 3 times.

2. Literary Title: Rusty Corrugated Pipes.  Subject; Same. 1950.  Process: Printon. Number of prints: 1. 

3. Back only has photographer's name and a number.  Subject is radiators. Process: Unspecified. Date unkown. 

4. Literary Title: Lock on green. Subject: Small lock on green gnd. Date: 1950. Process: Printon. Number of prints: 2, "one of which is owned by MOMA".

5. Literary Title: The Yellow Mixer and Red Lamp.  Subject: Cement mixer. Date: 1957. Process: Printon.  Number of prints: 2. 

6. Literary Title: Red and Chrome.  Subject" Fascia of diner with iron shadow. Process: Printon. Date: 1951.  Number of prints: 1.  Exhibited in Chicago.

Images are well preserved, mounted to boards (using various tapes) and matted (approx. 15 x 20 inches.) Later shrink wrap or clear plastic, left as found. Please contact us if you have questions or need more information or images. Thank you.

Select References: 

Robert F. Sheehan: Color Photography 1948-58. Illustrated with reproductions of Sheehan's photographs. Oblong 8vo, photo-pictorial wrappers. Middletown, CT. : Wesleyan University, 1987.

Christies NY 19th & 20th Century Photographs, Monday, October 31, 1988.Lots: 264, 492, & 536.

Swann. Photographic Literature & Photographs. Dec 07, 2006 - Sale 2097 - Lot 497

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