JEWGENI CHALDEJ (1917–1997) Lot n° 41

JEWGENI CHALDEJ (1917-1997) | Raising the flag on the Reichstag building, Berlin 1945 (2 versions) Image Size: 27,7 x 37,7 cm English: 26 x 37,9 cm / 27,7 x 37,7 cm Two Gelatin silver prints, both printed by the photographer in 1995 on double-weight semi-matte paper 27,8 x 39,2 cm / 29,9 x 39,7 cm, both in excellent condition. Annotated "Berlin 2 May 1945" in Cyrillic / Date of print "1995", both prints signed by the photographer, in felttip-pen / in pencil on the reverse. PROVENANCE From the collection of Hans-Jürgen Burkard, Hamburg. A few days after the storming of Berlin, the Soviet front reporter Khaldei and some soldiers staged this scene at the burning Reichstag building, which became a symbolic image for the end of the Second World War, often in a modified form: for example, in order to achieve a more dramatic effect, clouds of smoke were added to the picture by means of sandwich exposure with a shot taken in Russia. Furthermore, the second wristwatch of the soldier supporting the man at the flagpole was retouched (in order not to have in the picture what the invading Russians captured). The print exposed from the original negative thus shows a clear area of sky and both watches, the second print offered here the most common variant with added clouds of smoke and the watch retouched away. German: Two silver gelatin prints, both printed in 1995 by the photographer on semi-matte "double-weight" paper 27,8 x 39,2 cm / 29,9 x 39,7 cm, both in excellent condition. Both signed and inscribed on the reverse by the photographer in felt-tip pen / in pencil "Berlin 2 May 1945" in Cyrillic / note of print date "1995". PROVENANCE From the collection of Hans-Jürgen Burkard, Hamburg. A few days after the storming of Berlin, the Soviet front-line reporter Chaldej staged a scene with some soldiers at the burning Reichstag building, which became a symbolic image for the end of the Second World War, often in a modified form: for example, to achieve a more dramatic effect, clouds of smoke were added to the image by means of sandwich exposure with a shot taken in Russia. Furthermore, the second wristwatch of the soldier supporting the man at the flagpole was retouched away (in order not to have in the picture what the invading Russians captured). The print exposed from the original negative thus shows a clear sky area and both watches, the second print offered here the most common variant with added smoke clouds and the watch retouched away.