ALBERT EINSTEIN, ORIGINAL 1951 ”TONGUE” PHOTOGRAPH

An original vintage photograph of Albert Einstein, taken by Arthur Sasse on March 14, 1951, outside The Princeton Club in New York after Einstein's 72nd birthday celebration.

The backside bears an affixed cut from a newspaper with the title "Einstein's Fun" and the following photo description "Albert Einstein, famous scientist, gave this response when a photographer asked for his picture on his seventy-second birthday celebration at Princeton, N.J. He immediately followed up with a laugh, but the alert cameraman captured the initial pose". The photographer was indeed Arthur Sasse, who was the only photographer among many that surrounded the car who got this striking photograph of Einstein with his tongue sticking out.

Sasse was a veteran International News Service photographer, hence the image being printed on "International News Photos" photo paper. Notably, the affixed newspaper cut is stamped with the date "March 16, 1951", which is only two days after the photo was taken.

Einstein himself was very pleased with this photograph and ordered nine copies for himself. The image shows a more playful Einstein than a serious Nobel Prize-winning mathematician and physicist. It's one of the most reproduced and parodied images of all time and certainly one of the most famous photographs in the world.

Also accompanied by this iconic and important photograph is another original photograph from 1952 that shows Arthur Sasse receiving the very first W. R. Hearst Memorial Award by William Randolph Hearst Jr. Sasse received a $500 bond and a plaque for his photograph of Einstein ... and of course, world-wide fame and recognition of being responsible for this important photograph. This is a rare opportunity to purchase the original photograph of the most iconic image of all time!

Size: Approximately 5.7 x 6.2 inches / 14,5 x 15,7 cm.

Condition: Graded as VG-EX+ by a vintage photograph expert; overall fine condition.

Provenance: Private collection, USA. Letter of Authenticity from Alexander Bitar History.