The Romantic Leaves That Set Irving Penn's Auction Record
3 min read · 09 Oct 2025
Ginkgo Leaves, New York, 1990. Image courtesy of Phillips
Irving Penn's Ginkgo Leaves, New York, 1990 (1992) sold for $567,600, more than two and a half times the low estimate at Phillips in New York on October 8. The dye-transfer print is one from an edition of 22. It came from the Irving Penn Foundation.
Penn began working for Vogue magazine in 1943, where he became one of its leading photographers for the next six decades. As well as fashion photography he created striking still-life photographs that revealed beauty in imperfection.
In 1990, Penn gathered two ginkgo leaves from a tree on the family property on Long Island. The tree had been was planted to mark his wedding in 1950 to the model and later sculptor Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn. The green and orange leaves symbolize the passage of time.
Cuzco Children. Image courtesy of Christie's
The sale beat the artist’s previous auction record by $38,600, a 7% rise. The previous record was set by Cuzco Children (1948), which sold for $529,000 at Christie's on April 11, 2008.
A Brief History of Irving Penn at Auction
Sale Date | Title | Price | Record Increase | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
October 08, 2025 | Ginkgo Leaves, New York, 1990 | $567,600 | 7 % | Phillips | New York |
April 11, 2008 | Cuzco Children | $529,000 | 16 % | Christie's | New York |
November 20, 2007 | Kate Moss, New York | $456,400 | 26 % | Phillips de Pury | London |
October 18, 2007 | Cuzco Children | $361,000 | 6 % | Christie's | New York |
June 22, 2007 | Harlequin dress Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn New York | $339,600 | 3 % | Phillips de Pury | London |
April 23, 2007 | Woman in Moroccan Palas Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn Marrakech | $330,000 | 10 % | Christie's | New York |
April 24, 2006 | Harlequin Dress (lisa Fonssagrives-penn), NY, 1950 | $300,000 | 7 % | Christie's | New York |
February 10, 2006 | Francis Bacon | $279,200 | 229 % | Christie's | London |
October 15, 2004 | Harlequin Dress (Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn) New York | $85,000 | 70 % | Christie's | New York |
October 20, 2003 | After dinner games New York from Service to the Trade | $50,000 | 43 % | Christie's | New York |
April 22, 2003 | Cuzco children Peru | $35,000 | - | Christie's | New York |
Get the HENI News Daily Art Digest delivered to your inbox