NEW YORK, NY.- Christie’s announced the upcoming single-owner auction An Eye Towards the Real: Photographs from the Collection of Ambassador Trevor Traina, set to take place live at Christie’s Rockefeller Center on Thursday, October 3rd. The sale features an array of iconic Post-War and Contemporary photographic works by leading artists including Diane Arbus, William Eggleston, Robert Frank, Nan Goldin, Cindy Sherman, and more. The Collection of Ambassador Traina first debuted at Christie’s with a record-breaking sale of a lifetime print of Arbus’s "Identical Twins, (Cathleen and Colleen), Roselle, New Jersey, 1966 (1967) sold in the 21st Century Evening Sale this past May for a price of $1.2 million, establishing a new auction record for the artist.

Ambassador Trevor Traina says: “Everyone has their own fantasy of the impossible collection. I was lucky enough to build mine, traveling the world and unearthing the origins of color photography. I assembled a collection of incredible works that tell a story of how observational photography has grown from the outskirts of fine art to being at the very core of contemporary culture. I am delighted to bring these masterpieces to Christie's from the walls of my homes, and I hope these wonderful photographs bring as much joy to their new owners as they have brought to me.”

Darius Himes, Christie’s International Head of Photographs comments: “We are proud to present this spectacular collection, built with thoughtfulness and sophistication over the past 20+ years. Ambassador Traina is keenly aware of the intellectual and artistic trends within the photography community and market, having sought out the most recognizable and perfect examples for his collection. The result this past May for his perfect print of Arbus’s Identical Twins is a testament to the rigor with which he built his collection.”

The evolution within both the photography and broader art market is central to understanding this collection. An Eye to the Real presents a richness of styles, movements, places and personalities, encapsulating an invigorating mix of the documentary tradition within photography, its post-modern foundations, and more contemporary practices. Anchoring the Post-War period are works by Robert Frank whose seminal photobook, The Americans, has influenced generations of photographers. The collection also features several key works by Diane Arbus, Garry Winogrand, and Lee Friedlander – the trio of photographers included in John Szarkowski’s landmark exhibition New Documents held at New York’s Museum of Modern Art in 1967.

Two themes intertwined throughout the collection are the rise to prominence of women photographers, and the birth and acceptance of color photography within the art market. Works by Arbus, Cindy Sherman, Louise Lawler, and Tina Barney, sit alongside pieces by Nan Goldin, Alex Prager and Jackie Nickerson. Likewise, the powerful color images of William Eggleston, Stephen Shore, Joel Sternfeld and Larry Sultan are complemented by Thomas Struth, Andreas Gursky, Martin Parr and Paul Graham among others.

As part of an exciting and innovative partnership, all lots from this auction will be presented on the blockchain and offered with an associated digital certificate of ownership exclusively included with a Kresus wallet.

Ahead of the sale a selection of works will be travelling to Christie’s Los Angeles from September 10 – 12th