Alberto Korda (Cuban, 1928-2001). "Guerrillero Heroico" gelatin silver print, 1960. Hand signed beneath image at lower right. A rare edition of "Guerrillero Heroico" printed by Alberto Korda himself from the original negative, and hand signed below the image. The unique size and remarkable clarity of this striking photograph sets it apart from other editions; note the strong contrast and shading, as well as the preservation creating an imposing presentation of the famed revolutionary. Alberto Korda (also known as Alberto Diaz Gutierrez or simply Korda) was a Cuban photographer best known for this iconic image of the Argentinian Marxist revolutionary Che Guevara. Korda once said of this image, "There's something about his eyes in the photo. A kind of mystery. His personality comes through." Size of image: 14" W x 16.25" H (35.6 cm x 41.3 cm); : 24.5" W x 27.25" H (62.2 cm x 69.2 cm)

While working on assignment for the newspaper "Revolucion" in 1960, Korda shot this famous photograph of Che Guevara at a protest rally after counterrevolutionaries blew up a Belgian freighter that was carrying arms to Cuba. Jonathan Green, director of the UCR/California Museum of Photography, has speculated that, "Korda's image has worked its way into languages around the world. It has become an alpha-numeric symbol, a hieroglyph, an instant symbol. It mysteriously reappears whenever there's a conflict. There isn?t anything else in history that serves in this way." A seminal photograph demonstrating Alberto Korda's aesthetic prowess and boldness.

About the artist: "Alberto Diaz Gutierrez Korda (Cuban, September 19, 1928 - May 25, 2001) is considered to be the man who made Ernesto 'Che' Guevara an icon. His image of Che became one of the most famous pictures of the 20th century. Born in Havana as the son of a railway worker, the young Korda had a variety of jobs before he started working as a photographer's assistant. It was while on an assignment for Revolucion newspaper in 1960 that Korda took the famous photo of Guevara at a protest rally, after a Belgian freighter, carrying arms to Cuba, was blown up by counterrevolutionaries while being unloaded in Havana harbor, killing more than 100 dock workers. As he later recalled, Korda was panning his lens across the figures on the dais when Guevara's face jumped into the viewfinder. The look in Guevara's eyes startled Korda so much that he instinctively captured it. Korda spent 10 years as Fidel Castro's official photographer. During this time, he used his skills to humanize the revolutionary leader's image in off-duty scenes, shared moments with Ernest Hemingway and Jean-Paul Sartre, and confronted a caged tiger at the New York Zoo." (Artnet)

Alberto Korda's works are in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes in Havana, and the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid, among other elite art institutions.

Alberto Korda's "Guerrillero Heroico" - from the same limited edition of 20 and of the same large size - hammered for $13,000 - Phillips de Pury & Company New York, 22 May 2012 - lot 44; $9000 - Christie's NY, 31 March 2015 - lot 292; and $11,339 - Christie's London, 17 May 2011 - lot 28.

Provenance: private Los Angeles, California, USA collection

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#186159

Hand signed at lower right. Set behind glass in custom matte and frame. Has not been examined outside of glass, but appears to be in excellent overall condition. Suspension wire on verso for display.