Photographer Edward Weston was known for his high-quality photographic prints, like this one acquired by collectors Marjorie and Leonard Vernon. Dale Stulz, photography appraiser and advisor to the Vernons, told of how the Vernons sought out Weston's photographs: "The print was the thing. They insisted on having the best quality, and that's why there are certain things that are not in the collection that could be if you were building an encyclopedic canon. One of the reasons they loved Edward Weston was because he was such an incredible printmaker."

Stephen White, collector, curator, and former proprietor of the Stephen White Gallery in Los Angeles, recounted the exciting story of the print's acquisition by the Vernons:
"The next Weston I presented was acquired from son of the Arthur Miller, LA Times art critic in the 1920s-30s. A gorgeous platinum print of the nude back of Anita Brenner. The Vernons took a look at the opening and asked if they could think about it. The next day Weston Naef, curator at the Metropolitan at the time (later at the J. Paul Getty Museum) came in took one look and wanted it. I said 'well it's on hold for someone.' I called the Vernons and because they were still new to the field they said, 'oh, well, if the Met is interested, of course we should relinquish it. I gave the Met until Monday to confirm they wanted it. Monday comes, no call. Tuesday comes, I call the Vernons and say they have a photo. For the next few years, Naef always reminded me of that wonderful Weston that got away."

• Salvesen, Britt. See the Light: Photography, Perception, Cognition: the Marjorie and Leonard Vernon Collection. Los Angeles: Los Angeles County Museum of Art; New York: DelMonico Books/Prestel, 2013.
• Reiman, Karen Cordero. Another Promised Land: Anita Brenner's Mexico. Los Angeles: Skirball Cultural Center, 2017.