Richard Prince and the Art of Rephotography: The Story Behind “Untitled (Cowboy)”
Imagine walking through a gallery and seeing an image that feels oddly familiar. It’s a photograph of a cowboy, rugged and quintessentially American, evoking the iconic Marlboro Man. You might think you’ve seen this in a magazine or on a billboard. And you’d be right. But this isn’t just any photograph; it’s “Untitled (Cowboy)” by Richard Prince, a piece that sparked conversations, controversies, and a new way of thinking about art and ownership.
Richard Prince, born in Panama in 1949, moved to New York City early in his career. Like many aspiring artists, he started with a modest job—in the tear-sheet department at Time magazine. This job, which involved handling discarded magazine pages, exposed Prince to the world of mass-advertising images. Intrigued by these glossy, idealized visions of life, he began to rephotograph them. This technique, which he called “rephotography,” became his signature style.
Prince wasn’t just taking pictures; he was stealing them—or so he liked to say. “I had limited technical skills regarding the camera. Actually, I had no skills,” he admitted. For Prince, the concept of rephotography was paramount. By appropriating advertisements, he forced a new perspective on familiar images. His “Cowboy” series, including the famous “Untitled (Cowboy)” from 1989, rephotographed the Marlboro Man cigarette campaign ads. These ads, created by Philip Morris in 1954, had already cemented the cowboy as an icon of masculinity and freedom.
When Prince reframed these images and hung them in galleries, he wasn’t just showcasing photos; he was prompting a discourse on mass media, authenticity, and the mythic representations of the American West. Critics like US scholar Douglas Crimp noted that Prince’s works were intriguing precisely because they were “severed from an origin, from an originator, from authenticity.” This act of appropriation challenged modernist ideas of artistic authorship, pushing art into the realm of postmodernism.
Of course, not everyone saw Prince’s work as a clever commentary. Some viewed it as outright theft. In 2008, photographer Patrick Cariou sued Prince for copyright infringement, sparking a heated debate about the boundaries of artistic license and intellectual property. The case highlighted the fine line between inspiration and appropriation, a line Prince walked with confidence, if not always with consent.
Despite the controversies, Prince’s “Untitled (Cowboy)” achieved something remarkable. In 2005, it became the first photograph to sell for over a million dollars at auction, fetching a staggering $1,248,000. This sale underscored the piece’s significance in the art world, cementing its status as an icon of postmodern art. For many, the photograph’s slightly hazy, indistinct quality adds to its allure. Prince himself explained, “I seem to go after images that I don’t quite believe. And, I try to re-present them even more unbelievably.”
Richard Prince’s work, especially his “Cowboy” series, continues to provoke and inspire. By rephotographing and recontextualizing existing images, he invites viewers to question the reality presented by mass media and the nature of artistic creation. Whether seen as a pioneer or a pirate, Prince undeniably opened new avenues for artistic expression and critique.
More stories:
