Ostrich Egg, 1944

Throughout Man Ray’s career the egg appears in photographs, rayographs, prints, paintings and sculptures. In the present photograph, the tight cropping and sensitive lighting emphasizes the organic, dimpled surface of the egg’s shell. Clearly enthralled by this natural form, Man Ray’s Ostrich Egg celebrates symmetry, perfection and, perhaps, the egg as a symbol of reproduction—both sexual and photographic. Prints of this image rarely appear at auction. Other prints reside in institutional collections including the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston.