Norman Seeff | South Africa / United States
Patti Smith & Robert Mapplethorpe, New York City, 1969
“Patti with Cigarette” — Limited Edition Print

Photographed in New York City in 1969 by Norman Seeff, “Patti with Cigarette” captures Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe at the beginning of their shared artistic lives — two young artists, newly arrived in the city, before either had become the figure history would make of them.

The image belongs to a body of early work Seeff made in New York before his move to Los Angeles and his landmark sessions with the defining musicians of the 1970s and 80s. It is a portrait of intimacy and nascent creative identity — Smith with cigarette, Mapplethorpe beside her, the two of them inseparable in the way that only the very young and very serious can be.

Patti Smith, known as the “punk poet laureate,” was a central figure in the early punk scene in New York City in the 1970s. Her most celebrated song, “Because the Night,” co-written with Bruce Springsteen, reached No. 13 on the Billboard charts. Her memoir Just Kids — written to fulfill a promise to Mapplethorpe — won the National Book Award in 2010.

Robert Mapplethorpe became one of the most significant and controversial photographers of the twentieth century, best known for his stark, formally precise black-and-white portraits and his unflinching documentation of gay male culture in New York. His work sparked lasting debate about obscenity, censorship, and free speech in the United States.

Available in multiple sizes, unframed or framed in your choice of black or white, with straight fit or matted options.

Details

• Photographer: Norman Seeff
• Subjects: Patti Smith & Robert Mapplethorpe
• Location: New York City
• Year: 1969
• Medium: Archival Photographic Print
• Edition: Limited Edition Print
• Available Sizes: 38" × 50" | 44" × 64"
• Framing Options: Unframed | Straight Fit Frame (Black or White) | Matted Frame (Black or White)
• Category: Limited Edition Fine Art Photography | American Art & Culture Photography
• Certificate of Authenticity: Included
• Shipping: Shipping costs vary and will be determined after purchase. Professional packing and freight services may be required depending on destination. A shipping invoice will be provided for approval prior to shipment.

Pricing Note: The price displayed is a placeholder only. Final pricing is determined upon confirmation of edition number and availability. Please contact Studio CT to confirm pricing and reserve your edition.

For framing options or to discuss this work as part of a broader art curation engagement, contact Studio CT.