An Original Avedon Photograph of the Father of the Nuclear Navy, Adm. Hyman Rickover, Signed by Avedon the Year It Was Taken

In 1976, Rolling Stone Magazine approached iconic photographer Richard Avedon to cover the coming election and campaign. Instead, he traveled the country, taking photographs of the people he believed were influential in America.  He had always wanted to do this.  That same year Avedon published the resulting work, "The Family 1976." In it, the great photographer pictured Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush, the Kennedys, Katherine Graham, Ralph Nader, Jerry Brown, Donald Rumsfeld, Henry Kissinger, Nelson Rockefeller, Walter Annenberg, and tens of others.  This is now an iconic set of photographs, with a set of originals that come directly from Avedon constituting an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.  This image is also in the National Portrait Gallery.

One of his subjects, selected for inclusion in the work, was Admiral Hyman Rickover, Jewish immigrant and father of the Nuclear Navy, a man whose influence on the Navy was second to none in the 20th century. Rickover sat for this photograph.  In November 1976, after speaking on the phone, Avedon sent Rickover a signed original of the photograph.

Photograph signed, "Avedon 76," 1976, with Rickover's stamp on the verso, showing him in Avedon's strong but minimalist style. Avedon did not generally signed his photographs for "The Family 1976", and to our knowledge, this is the only known signed original.  With a Typed letter signed of Avedon sending it to Admiral Rickover.

This was acquired from the heirs of Admiral Rickover and has never before been offered for sale.