6 Vintage silver prints, a sequence of paparazzi photographs each 23,8 x 18,1 cm
Each with the photographer’s “Tazio Secchiaroli, Fotografo, Via del Plantani, 129, 00172 Roma – I, 2871433” studio stamp and annotations reading “Coll Zannier” in pencil on the reverse
LITERATURE Paolo Costantini/Italo Zannier et al., Paparazzi, Fotografie 1953-1964, Florence 1988, p. 49; Tazio Secchiaroli, The Original Paparazzo, Milan 1996, p. 30f.; Diego Mormorio, Tazio Secchiaroli. Dalla dolce vita ai miti del set, Milan 1998, p. 46-47.

Using a Leica MP, the “grandfather of all paparazzi” documented an attack on his profession, thereby illustrating its paradox and usurpatory strategy: making photographs of prominent people without their consent, in order to conquer a piece of privacy and thereby polish their public image. The present lot contains not only the well-known picture in which Steel goes after the horde of photographers with clenched fists while Ekberg is just getting ready to leave the car, but also the images taken immediately before and after.
Thus, the sequence shows not only the turn of events outside the nightclub Vecchia Roma, but also clearly reflects Steel’s aggression and Ekberg’s annoyance – supposedly, she had already given up on this marriage at the time the photograph was taken, and indeed the couple divorced only a few months later. Photo reports about the glamorous couple had started appearing the very moment they met: for example, on April 21, 1956 the tabloid Hollywood Films and their Stars reported on Steel’s exclamation that Ekberg was “the most gorgeous thing” he had ever seen.
After the wedding, the British actor followed the “Swedish Bombshell” Ekberg to Hollywood – where both of their careers slowly stagnated, and Steel’s publicity was limited to reports on his excessive lifestyle. Secchiaroli was considered the first paparazzo since Federico Fellini had based the figure of the photographer bearing that name in La dolce vita (1960) on him. The film is also considered the high point of Anita Ekberg’s career, who played the main character opposite Marcello Mastroianni in it.

For this items, if sold and/or shipped within the E.C. the premium is 27,37% (including VAT) plus 19% VAT on the hammer price (in total 46,37%)