Compelling vintage glossy 11 x 14 portrait of Einstein looking into the camera, his hands clasped before him as if in prayer, signed and inscribed in black ink in German, "To Mr. Leon Harmon, as a symbol of my gratitude, A. Einstein '54". The photograph is also signed by the photographer, Karsh, in white, in the lower left. The photograph is affixed to 14.25 x 17 photographer’s mount. It was sold to the consignor by an individual acting as an agent on behalf of Leon Harmon's wife. Apparently, Leon Harmon worked with Einstein at Princeton in the 1950s. Einstein's love for music is well documented, and although Einstein was world-famous, he was never a wealthy man. His co-workers at the Institute pooled their resources and bought him a hi-fi set. Leon Harmon went to his home, installed the unit, and showed Einstein how to operate it. When Harmon was finished, Einstein took him to a trunk that had numerous photographs and told him to choose one for himself. Harmon chose the Karsh print and Einstein inscribed it for him. The photographer, Yousuf Karsh, took a series of photos of Einstein in 1948. As the last of the great portrait photographers of the twentieth century, Karsh has become almost as famous as his legendary subjects. In the 2000 edition of The International Who's Who, which listed the most notable people of the last century, Karsh was one of the 100 famous people listed, and he had photographed 51 of those on the list! In fine condition, with scattered surface impressions, a few faint creases in the margin resulting from adherence to the mount. COA John Reznikoff/PSA/DNA and R&R COA.
