Clay model by Carl Milles for his public fountain “The Wedding of the Waters” in St. Louis, Missouri, c. 1936
Published on the cover of LIFE Magazine February 22, 1937
Vintage gelatin silver print
14 x 11 inches
Signed on recto
July 10, 2023
Alfred Eisenstaedt fled Nazi Germany and emigrated to New York City in 1935. He was hired by LIFE Magazine in 1936, which had recently been re-made into an all-photographic news magazine. Thus began Eisenstaedt’s long and fruitful partnership with the magazine, where this photo was published on the cover of the February 22, 1937 issue.
The picture shows a work created by another European expat: the Swedish-American sculptor Carl Milles, who was the subject of a LIFE profile in that 1937 issue. The figure was a full-size clay model for a cast bronze statue, part of a large fountain Milles designed for the newly created Aloe Park in St. Louis. When it was unveiled in 1940 its depiction of frolicking nude Greek water spirits caused a local controversy. The sculpture remains on view to this day, and is now one of the most iconic pieces of public art in St. Louis.
This handsome vintage print, signed by Eisenstaedt in the lower right corner, comes to us with excellent provenance. The dramatic angle makes this a very fine example of Eisenstaedt's energetic approach to picture making, which he brought to all manner of subjects. His skill as a generalist made him popular with both photo editors and the public in his own time, and secured his historical stature as one of the great chroniclers of the 20th century.
