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Collections

Robert Mapplethorpe
X Portfolio1978

Not on view
Square clamshell box or portfolio case covered in matte black cloth, with a small gold 'X' stamped on the front and another on the spine
Gelatin silver print, close-cropped view of a shaved head and bare shoulders seen from above against a neutral gray background, with smooth tonal gradations and precise studio lighting.
Black and white photograph, close-up view from above of a shaved head bowed forward, with bare shoulders visible at lower edges against a softly graduated gray background.
Gelatin silver print, shirtless figure kneeling beside a metal ladder, wearing a fitted leather mask and dark trousers, gripping the ladder's rungs against a weathered industrial wall, with strong directional light casting sharp shadows.
Black and white photograph of a shirtless, kneeling figure wearing a fitted leather hood and dark trousers, gripping a metal ladder rung in a derelict interior with peeling walls and strong directional light.
Gelatin silver print of two men in leather clothing in a weathered industrial interior. One figure stands wearing leather pants, boots, and a harness; the other kneels beside him. Strong directional light casts sharp shadows against a deteriorating wall.
Gelatin silver print, close-cropped torso and upper thighs of a figure wearing a leather belt harness with metal hardware over a white brief, one hand visible at left in a leather jacket sleeve, dramatic studio lighting with soft shadows
Gelatin silver print, close-up profile of a bearded man with bandages wrapped around his head and face, set against draped fabric forming a tent-like background, strong directional light casting deep shadows.
Black and white gelatin silver print of a figure in a full black latex bodysuit and studded collar, posed on all fours on a low bench, with a curved tube extending from the mouth, backlit against crinkled plastic sheeting.
Gelatin silver print, full-length nude figure of a shaved-head man seated on a low platform, legs spread and one hand raised, mouth open, with visible piercings on the chest, shot against a light wall with dramatic shadow.
Gelatin silver print of a crouching nude figure viewed from behind, head fully enclosed in a leather hood, torso and limbs bound with leather straps and hardware, against a light gray background with draped fabric at left.
Gelatin silver print, close-up of a bare male torso and shoulder, arm extending across the frame, hand gripping a dark cylindrical object, against a neutral gray background with dramatic side lighting.
Gelatin silver print, close-up nude study of a human back and torso viewed from behind, with dramatic tonal contrast emphasizing the curves and musculature of the figure against a neutral background.
Gelatin silver print, close-up of a male nude torso with two hands clasped together at center, soft directional lighting emphasizing texture of skin and body hair against a neutral gray background.
Gelatin silver print of a small metal plate with bolts and hinged wire arms, held in a pair of hands. A dark organic form, resembling an insect, is affixed to the plate's surface with drips and splatter.
Gelatin silver print, full-length figure of a man bent forward, wearing leather chaps, lace-up leather briefs, and boots, holding a braided whip, standing on white fabric against a bare wall with wooden floor.
Publication cover with white ground, a single small black letter X centered slightly above middle, and the name ROBERT MAPPLETHORPE in small capitals near the bottom.
Letterpress or offset-printed artwork in three columns of dense black text on white paper, with a signature at lower right of the third column.
Printed book spread with two pages of black text on white paper; left page contains a poem in varying indentation, right page lists 13 numbered portrait titles with names, locations, and dates ranging from 1977 to 1978.
Colophon page with printed edition information in small serif type on white paper, including a handwritten number on a ruled line indicating the copy number within a signed edition.
Flat square black clamshell box photographed at an angle, with two small gold X marks — one centered on the lid, one on the spine.
Artist or Maker
Robert Mapplethorpe
United States, 1946–1989, active New York City
Title
X Portfolio
Date Made
1978
Medium
Black clamshell case with gelatin silver photographs
Dimensions
Image (each): 7 3/4 × 7 11/16 in. (19.69 × 19.53 cm) Primary support (each): 7 3/4 × 7 11/16 in. (19.69 × 19.53 cm) Secondary support (each): 13 5/16 × 12 13/16 in. (33.81 × 32.54 cm) Mat (each): 14 1/2 × 14 in. (36.83 × 35.56 cm)
Credit Line
Jointly acquired by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and The J. Paul Getty Trust; Partial gift of The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation; partial purchase with funds provided by The David Geffen Foundation and The J. Paul Getty Trust
Accession Number
M.2011.30.75.1-.15
Classification
Photographs
Collecting Area
Photography