Yousuf Karsh
Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali

© Estate of Yousuf Karsh

Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
ArtistCanadian, born Armenia, 1908–2002
CultureCanadian
Titles
  • Muhammad Ali
Date1970, printed 1981
MediumGelatin silver print
DimensionsImage: 23 11/16 × 19 15/16 in. (60.2 × 50.7 cm)
Sheet: 23 11/16 × 19 15/16 in. (60.2 × 50.6 cm)
Mount: 30 × 24 in. (76.2 × 61 cm)
Credit LineGift of Estrellita Karsh in honor of Dr. Malcolm Daniel and in memory of Yousuf Karsh
Object number2014.1030.1
Current Location
The Nancy and Rich Kinder Building
Gallery 208
On view

Explore Further

Department
Photography
Object Type
Description

Olympic gold medalist and heavyweight champion Muhammad
Ali (1942–2016) was a controversial antiwar activist, an embodiment of Black
pride and power, and an electrifying self-promoter. Refusing induction in the
military on religious grounds, Ali was arrested for draft evasion in 1967,
stripped of his boxing titles, and barred from professional matches. A year after
this portrait was made, the Supreme Court overturned his conviction, and the
man nicknamed “The Greatest” resumed his celebrated boxing career.

 



Ali was just one of the glamorous, powerful, accomplished,
and admired men and women photographed by Yousuf Karsh, whose elegantly composed
and exquisitely printed portraits constitute a veritable
Who’s
Who
of the second half of the 20th century.



ProvenanceEstrellita Karsh, Boston; given to MFAH, 2014.
Inscriptions, Signatures and Marks
bottom right below image in pencil: 09/100
verso bottom center in pencil: MUHAMMAD ALI (surname underlined) / 1970
Signed in black ink, recto, bottom left below image: Y Karsh

Cataloguing data may change with further research.

If you have questions about this work of art or the MFAH Online Collection please contact us.

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