The Pond—Moonlight

Edward Steichen's The Pond—Moonlight (also known as The Pond—Moonrise) is a pictorialist photograph. The shot was taken in 1904 near the home of his friend, art critic Charles Caffin, in Mamaroneck, New York. The image depicts a forest across a pond, with a portion of the moon visible over the horizon through a gap in the trees. The Pond—Moonlight is an early photograph taken by manually adding light-sensitive gums, resulting in the final print of more than one color.

Only three known versions of The Pond—Moonlight are still in existence, and each is unique because of the hand-layering of the gums. Steichen donated one version to the Museum of Modern Art, which now houses it under the title Moonrise, Mamaroneck, New York. A second version was in Alfred Stieglitz's personal collection and was donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1933. This was published in Alfred Stieglitz's photography publication Camera Work, No. 14. When the Metropolitan Museum of Art purchased the Gilman Paper Company Collection and chose to auction it off, it obtained a duplicate.

This print of the photograph sold for US$2.9 million in February 2006, the highest price ever paid for a photograph at auction. The photograph was purchased on behalf of a private buyer by gallerist Peter MacGill. The print's high sale price is due, in part, to its one-of-a-kind nature and scarcity.

Artist: Edward Steichen

Price: $2.9 million