Some 400 works by Man Ray including photographs, films, sculptures and even chess sets will go under the hammer in Paris this month, the last chance for collectors to buy directly from the 20th century surrealist's estate.
The auction by Sotheby's includes portraits of Pablo Picasso and screen stars Ava Gardner and Catherine Deneuve, with works that highlight Man Ray's pioneering use of photo techniques such as "solarisation" to produce unexpected light effects.
"He was your true multimedia all-around artist who was constantly oscillating between medium and technique and process in order to achieve a work of art," said Andrew Strauss of Sotheby's France.
The Nov. 15 auction will be the first major sale of Man Ray's art in almost two decades and is expected to raise between 2-3 million euros ($2.5-3.75 million).
Man Ray, who was born as Emmanuel Radnitzky in Philadelphia in 1890, spent most of his working life in Paris before his death there in 1976.
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