Description:

Sigmund Freud
n.p., ca. 1936
Sigmund Freud Signed Iconic Portrait By Max Halberstadt, Freud's Son-in-Law, Possibly Finest Known!
SP

A portrait photograph of Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud (1856-1939), signed and dated by him partly along the edge of the photograph and partly on the mat, as "Sigm. Freud 1936." The tops of the letters "S", "F" and "d" of Freud's signature extend into the image field of the gelatin silver print photograph; the rest of the signature is found on its original mat. N.p. The iconic portrait of Freud was originally taken in 1921 by the German Jewish photographer Max Halberstadt, Freud's son-in-law. The mat is blind-embossed as "Max Halberstadt / Hamburg" at lower right. In addition, the underside of the photograph (at lower left) is hand-stamped with a copyright message in German, translated as: "Any reproduction only with my permission and with attribution of the copyright text: phot. Max Halberstadt Hamburg." The photograph is hinged along the top. Minor silvering to the edges. The mat is evenly toned with scattered foxing and negligible scuffs. Two minor abrasions to the mat mentioned just for accuracy which could easily be matted out. The actual size of the photograph is 6.5" x 9" while the matted size overall is 9.625" x 12.875."

In 1936, when Freud autographed this portrait, he had recently authorized the English translation and publication of an original 1926 work in German. The 1936 translation was published by the Psychoanalytic Quarterly Press and W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. under the title "The Problem of Anxiety." Topics which Freud explored in this work included Infantile Zoophobia, the Ego, Birth Trauma, and Compulsion Neurosis, among other lines of inquiry.

Max Halberstadt (1882-1940) studied photography in Paris, Basel, Munich, Leipzig, and Hamburg before opening his first photography studio in Hamburg in 1907. Halberstadt became well-known as one of the leading portrait photographers of the Hamburg bourgeoisie. The photographer married Freud's youngest daughter Sophie Freud Halberstadt (1893-1920) in 1913; their marriage produced Freud's two first grandchildren before Sophie's death of Spanish Flu in 1920. This iconic portrait of Freud, with its penetrating yet deceptively casual pose, was taken the year after Sophie's death. In correspondence, Freud assured Max Halberstadt that he would always consider him as a son, even after Sophie's death. Max Halberstadt later remarried and fled Nazi persecution by emigrating to South Africa in 1936, two years before Freud would seek out exile in England for the same reason.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: matted overall: 9.625" x 12.875"
  • Medium: SP

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March 25, 2026 10:30 AM EDT
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