Sotheby’s offers an unrivaled selection of iconic works in the forthcoming Photographs auction on 19 May in London.

With a strong emphasis on fashion and glamour, the sale opens with iconic works by Herb Ritts, Richard Avedon and Robert Mapplethorpe.

A chapter is dedicated to Thierry Marlat, the Parisian gallerist who has succeeded in collecting some of America’s greatest photographers, including spectacular examples by Edward and Robert Mapplethorpe, Edward Weston, William Eggleston and Lee Friedlander.

An outstanding work by the revered and highly collectable artists Bernd and Hilla Becher is for sale, as are key pieces from their Dusseldorf School pupils Thomas Struth, Thomas Ruff and Axel Hutte. A wonderfully varied selection of works by Peter Beard is on offer alongside covetable pieces by Nick Brandt, Sebastiao Salgado and Steve McCurry. Iconic photographs by Hiroshi Sugimoto, Nobuyoshi Araki and Daido Moriyama feature prominently.

With such a diverse offering of major works from blue-chip artists, this exciting sale promises to deliver something for all buyers, from the seasoned collector to the budding connoisseur.