Artist Index: McBride, Will

Mike und die Anderen schmeißen sich mit Wasser, Schule Schloß Salem. 1963. Gelatin silver print, printed 1990. 54 x 36 cm (61 x 51 cm). Signed, titled and dated by the photographer in pencil, editioned "1/12" and collector's stamp on the verso.

Buckled, a few light minimal handling dents in white margin, otherwise in very good condition.

Lit.: Kurt von Hammerstein/Björn Koll/Jan Künemund (eds.). Will McBride. Salem Suite. Berlin 2014, ill. unpaginated.

"Schüler schmeißen Wasser beim Waschen, Schloß Schule Salem". 1963/printed later. Gelatin silver print. 36,5 x 53,5 cm (51 x 60,5 cm). Signed, annotated, dated and numbered 12/12 by the photographer in pencil and collection stamp on the verso.


Minimally buckled, otherwise in near excellent condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner.

Couple embracing. Early 1960s. Vintage ferrotyped gelatin silver print on Mimosa paper. 24 x 27,3 cm. Annotated in pencil and publisher's stamp on the verso.

Will McBride, an esteemed American-German photographer, is renowned for his impactful and unvarnished documentary photography. McBride's oeuvre often depicted themes of youth, sexuality, and the human condition, and he is known for his compassionate and genuine portrayal of his subjects. His photographs offer a compelling and unfiltered window into diverse facets of life, encompassing documentation of cultural and societal shifts. – Handling dents/creases, stronger crease in upper left corner with some emulsion loss and small hole, surface scratches, retouching.

"Amerikanische und russische Panzer stehen sich gegenüber, Berlin Friedrich Str.". 1961/printed later. Large-format gelatin silver print. 33,5 x 50 cm (50,5 x 60,7 cm). Signed, titled and dated by the photographer in pencil on the verso.

A few light handling marks/dents, otherwise in very good condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner.

"Indian Boys in Ganges, near Benares" (for Twen). 1959/printed 2012. Large-format Cibachrome print. 40 x 60 cm (50 x 70 cm). Signed, titled and dated by the photographer in marker on the verso.

Color photographs by Will McBride are seldom on the art market. The vibrant colors of this large cibachrome print attest to his feel for color. – In near excellent condition with strong colors.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner.

"Reinhard H. mit Socke, Casoli". 1973/printed 2014. Archival pigment print on Hahnemühle rag paper. 66 x 43,5 cm (81 x 59 cm).

In 1973 McBride took a series of male nudes in Casoli, Italy but never made prints from the slide negatives. At the request of an enthusiastic collector high quality pigment prints were made of a selection of the images in a small edition of 5 prints in 2014. The subtle colors and fine rendition of the skin's surface are extraordinary and show an undiscovered side of Will McBride's work. – Some scratch marks in margins, otherwise a fine tonal print with strong colors and in excellent condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner

Lit.: Will McBride. Mein Italien. Munich 2003. ill. p. 161 (image of the same model).

Boys playing in the sand. 1950s. Vintage ferrotyped gelatin silver print on Agfa-Brovira paper. 30 x 24 cm. Annotated in ballpoint pen on the verso.

A few minimal handling marks, some pitting/irregularities to ferrotype surface, otherwise in good condition.

"Jungs schmeißen Wasser auf sich, Schule Schloss Salem". 1963/printed 1990. Gelatin silver print. 36 x 54 cm (50,5 x 60,5 cm). Signed, titled, dated and editioned 1/12 by the photographer in pencil and collector's stamp on the verso.

Will McBride's photographs of Schule Schloss Salem capture the everyday life and educational activities at the progressive co-educational boarding school in Germany during the 1950s, characterized by their candid and documentary style, while some of the images are slightlty controversial for their depiction of young students in various stages of undress. – Buckled in side edges, otherwise in near excellent condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner

"Mike schmeißt Wasser auf sich, Schule Schloß Salem". 1963/printed 1990. Gelatin silver print. 53,5 x 36 cm (60,5 x 51 cm). Signed, annotated, dated and numbered 1/12 by the photographer in pencil and collection stamp on the verso. Matted.


Buckled in upper portion, slightly buckled in lower edge, otherwise in very good condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner.

"Beautiful Boy's Back, Positano" (for Twen). 1970/printed later. Large-format Cibachrome print. 60 x 42 cm (71 x 51,5 cm). Signed, titled and dated by the photographer in marker on the verso.

Color photographs by Will McBride are seldom on the art market. In the 1970s, McBride took a series of male nudes in Casoli, Italy as well as many street and everday scenes. – Light handling marks, otherwise with strong colors and in very good condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner

Lit.: Will McBride. Mein Italien. Munich 2003, ill. p. 24 (inverted image).

"Jungs schmeißen mit Wasser, Schule Schloss Salem". 1963/printed 1990. Gelatin silver print. 53,5 x 36 cm (60,5 x 50,5 cm). Signed, titled, dated and editioned 12 /12 by the photographer in pencil and collector's stamp on the verso.

In near excellent condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner

"Two Cats Sleeping in Florence". 1955/printed later. Gelatin silver print on Agfa paper. 30 x 44,2 cm (40,5 x 50,5 cm). Signed, titled and dated by the photographer in pencil on the verso.

Stronger crease in upper left corner in margin, handling crease in lower margin, a few minimal handling marks, otherwise in very good condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner.

"Russische Panzer gegenüber amerikanischen in der Friedrichstr". 1961/printed later. Gelatin silver print. 30 x 45 cm (40,5 x 50,5 cm). Signed, annotated and dated by the photographer in pencil on the verso.

A few light handling marks, small backed tear in left edge, otherwise in very good condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner.

Romy Schneider in Paris. 1964/printed later. Gelatin silver print. 30 x 44 cm (41 x 50,5 cm). Signed, annotated and dated by the photographer in pencil on the verso.

In near excellent condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner.

"Einer greift nach Seife und berührt Mike. Schule Schloss Salem". 1963/printed later. Gelatin silver print. 53,5 x 35,5 cm (61 x 51 cm). Signed, annotated and numbered 11/12 by the photographer in pencil and collection stamp on the verso.


In very good condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner.

Lit.: Will Mc Bride. I, Will McBride. Köln 1997, ill. p. 205 (variant).
Coming of Age: Photographs by Will McBride. New York 1999, ill. p. 29 (variant).