Naked photos of Madonna from her Sex book are set to go up for auction for £240,000
Photos shot for Madonna’s racy Sex book will be sold at auction for a whopping £240,000.
The black and white photos of the singer, shot by Steve Meisel, raised eyebrows when they were released in 1992.
Madonna, 64, was 34 years old when she posed nude for the series of erotic photos shot in New York and Miami – from burlesque hotels to the city streets.
Now about 40 of the photos will be for sale at the October auction at Christie’s, New York, signed by both Madonna and Steve.
Prices start at an eye-popping £40,000.
Up for sale: Photos shot for Madonna’s racy sex book will be sold at auction for a whopping £240,000
Racy: Created by Steve Meisel, the singer’s black and white images raised eyebrows when they were released in 1992
Daring: Madonna, 64, was 34 years old when she posed nude for the series of erotic photos shot in New York and Miam
Christie’s Deputy Chairman Darius Himes told The sun: ‘It was shocking and thrilling and captured so much glowing energy coming from Madonna in the early 1990s.’
In 1992, Madonna earned the equivalent of $38.6 million in today’s dollars for the 132-page aluminum-cover book, which sold 1.5 million copies worldwide.
Though controversial at the time, Sex is now highly regarded for its social and cultural impact and is considered a bold post-feminist, LGBT-loving work.
The Material Girl was arguably S&M’s first cultural ambassador thanks to its sadomasochistic imagery, softcore pornography, and sex act simulations.
The Sex book was released the day after Madonna’s equally kinky fifth studio album Erotica, and Warner Music released the “banned” 12-inch, three-track picture disc version of the single in celebration of his 30th birthday on Oct. 21.
And it’s a busy time for Madonna, as her party tour kicks off July 15 with a sold-out show in Vancouver, before making her way south across the western US.
She will cross Europe from October to early December before returning to North America.
Earlier this year, it was reported that Madonna’s biopic – titled Little Sparrow – had been scrapped after years of development.
Last June, it was reported that Ozark star Julia Garner had been cast as the Material Girl, suggesting production was closer to shooting than ever, but then it was reported in January that it had been put on the back burner.
On the market: Now about 40 of the photos will be for sale at the October auction at Christie’s, New York, signed by both Madonna and Steve
Smash hit: In 1992, Madonna earned the equivalent of $38.6 million in today’s dollars for the 132-page aluminum-covered book, which sold 1.5 million copies worldwide
Critics: Though controversial at the time, Sex is now highly regarded for its social and cultural impact and is considered a bold post-feminist, LGBT-loved work
Sex: The Material Girl was arguably S&M’s first cultural ambassador thanks to its sadomasochistic imagery, softcore pornography and sex act simulations
Exciting: Chrisite Deputy Chairman Darius Himes said, “It was shocking and exciting and it captured so much glowing energy that came from Madonna in the early 1990s.”
Nude: In one photo, Madonna stood on a radiator with her buttocks bare as she stared out the window
Back on? In January, it was reported that her biopic Little Sparrow has been shelved indefinitely, but earlier this month she met her start Julia Garner.
But earlier this month, Madonna shared a photo of herself and Julia, with a playful caption: “B***h we’re Madonna!”
The two attended photographer Steven Klein’s 58th birthday, according to the New York Post.
Part of Little Sparrow’s problems seems to be the long and unwieldy screenplay, which Madonna co-wrote with Juno writer Diablo Cody before secretary screenwriter Erin Wilson took another pass.
“I have a very long script that is very difficult for me to shorten,” Madonna said last summer. “I’ve done some work on it, but it’s like chopping my limbs off.”
Last August, an anonymous tipster wrote to gossip site DeuxMoi claiming the biopic was a “nightmare production” because of the “script and constant changes.”
They added that it “might not happen at all” because it “cost a lot of money.”