Artist Index: McBride, Will

Boys in Tree Watching Football Game, Berlin. 1956. Gelatin silver print, printed 1990s. 33,5 x 29,7 cm (50,5 x 41 cm). Signed, titled and dated by the photographer in pencil as well as photographer's stamp on the verso.

The American-German photographer Will McBride is celebrated for his candid and empathetic documentary work. From the start of his career, he focused on unvarnished depictions of youth, sexuality, and identity, offering a glimpse into the cultural and societal shifts of the postwar era. With a compassionate eye and deep trust in his subjects, McBride created photographs that remain striking for their honesty, intimacy, and emotional depth. – A few light handling dents in the margin, otherwise in very good condition.

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

Buckled in side edges, otherwise in near excellent condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner

Adenauer & Kennedy in Bonn, Palais Schaumburg. 1963. Gelatin silver print, printed 1996. 31 x 46,5 cm (40,2 x 50,4 cm). Signed, titled and dated by the photographer in pencil on the verso.

A few light handling dents, some fold marks in lower margin, longer retouched diagonal lines in lower right area, otherwise in good condition.

Mike in the Shower (Mike wäscht sich wie auch die Anderen, Schule Schloß Salem). 1963. Gelatin silver print, printed 1998. 54,5 x 35 cm (61 x 50,5 cm). Signed, titled, editioned "11/12" and dated by the photographer in pencil as well as collection stamp on the verso.

Slightly buckled, minimal handling dent in lower margin, otherwise in very good condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner.

Lit.: Will Mc Bride. I, Will McBride. Cologne: Könemann, 1997, ill. p. 205.
Will McBride. Coming of Age: Photographs by Will McBride. New York: Aperture, 1999, ill. p. 29.

Die Mauer, Berlin (The Wall, Berlin). 1961. Gelatin silver print, printed later. 18,8 x 28 cm (23,8 x 30,2 cm). Signed, titled and dated by the photographer in pencil on the verso.

Corners bumped, a few minimal handling marks, minimal tear in right edge, otherwise in very good condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner.

Konrad Adenauer, Rhöndorf. 1964. Vintage ferrotyped gelatin silver print on Agfa paper. 20,2 x 30 cm. Signed, titled and dated by the photographer in pencil as well as agency stamp on the verso.

Corners bumped, a few handling dents, otherwise in good condition.

Provenance: Directly from the photographer to the present owner.

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.

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.

"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.

"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.