Rare photographs going under the hammer

A VISITOR looks at a selection of the iconic and rare images by the late photographer Richard Avedon which will go under the hammer at Christie's action house in Paris, including his psychedelic pop-art Beatles Portfolio, from 1967, and a sultry portrait of actress Brigitte Bardot, dating from 1959.

The US photographer photographed some of the biggest names in fashion, art and music over more than five decades, and more than $6m (3.7m) is expected to be raised by the sale of 65 photos including Marilyn Monroe, one of Rudolph Nureyev's feet, Bob Dylan, Pablo Picasso, and 60s models Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton.

A fashion photograph of a Dior model dating from 1955 is estimated to sell for $500,000 to $700,000 (312,000 436,000) while the rare psychedelic portraits of the Fab Four carry an estimate of $337,160 to $472,024 (210,000 to 294,000).