Gelatin silver print
USA, 1969, printed 1974
Ron Galella (b. 1931) – American paparazzi photographer
Signed in pencil verso ‘Ron Galella’
With artist’s copyright, reproduction limitation and studio ink stamp verso
Inscribed and dated in ink in unknown hand verso ‘Sept. 24, 1969: Jackie bike riding in Central Park’
Dimensions: 8 x 10 in. (20.3 x 25.4 cm.)
Very good condition

Taken the year after her marriage to Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is photographed riding a bike through New York’s Central Park. Her second marriage caused considerable publicity, making her the target of paparazzi who nicknamed her “Jackie O.”

Executed in 1969 and printed in 1974, this gelatin silver print is signed in pencil, with the artist’s copyright reproduction limitation and studio ink stamp verso. Measuring 8 x 10 inches, the photographed is inscribed and dated on the reverse. Small areas of emulsion loss at extreme edges of print but otherwise very good condition.

Ron Galella (American, b. 1931)

Dubbed “the Godfather of the U.S. paparazzi culture,” Ron Galella is widely regarded as the most famous and controversial celebrity photographer of the twentieth century. Before receiving his degree in Photojournalism at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, Galella served as a United States Air Force photographer. His interest in photography and popular culture led him on his mission to capture celebrities in candid moments, searching for unguarded moments of truth. Known for the ruthless lengths he would take to capture an image, Galella gained notoriety for his feuds with some celebrities, including Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Marlon Brando. His work can be found in the collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York and San Francisco; Tate Modern, London; and the Helmut Newton Foundation Museum of Photography, Berlin, among others. The photographer currently resides in Montville, New Jersey.