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Lot 5
[Apollo 17] HARRISON SCHMITT, EARTH, AND THE U.S. FLAG: the first photograph of a human with his home planet Eugene Cernan, 7-19 December 1972, EVA 1
14 – 28 April 2025, 12:00 CEST
Paris, Avenue HocheSold for €1,280 inc. premium
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[Apollo 17] HARRISON SCHMITT, EARTH, AND THE U.S. FLAG: the first photograph of a human with his home planet
Eugene Cernan, 7-19 December 1972, EVA 1
Printed 1972.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA AS17-134-20384].
With "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, numbered "NASA AS17-134-20384" in red in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
An incredible visual milestone: the first photograph of a human on another world with their home planet visible in the background.
This iconic photograph of Harrison Schmitt standing proudly next to the U.S. flag at Taurus-Littrow Base, with the distant Earth framed against the blackness of space, was captured by Eugene Cernan during the final Apollo 17 mission in December 1972. Cernan took great care in framing this exceptional shot ("I want to get the Earth," see mission transcript).
The delicate balance of elements in this composition—including the reflection of Cernan and the flag in Schmitt's gold-plated visor—creates a visual narrative that connects the journey from Earth to the Moon and back. The flag points toward the fragile image of Earth, symbolizing both the pinnacle of human exploration and our enduring connection to our home planet. The South Massif, a prominent lunar mountain at the Taurus-Littrow landing site, provides a dramatic backdrop, amplifying the grandeur of the scene.
Cernan's meticulous efforts resulted in a timeless photograph that encapsulates not only the scientific triumph of Apollo 17 but also the profound significance of humanity's exploration of space. As he later reflected, "I captured the Earth, the Moon, the man, and the country all in one. I'm proud of this picture."
NASA's chief of photography, Richard "Dick" Underwood, praised it as "one of the great photos ever to come out of the space program."
Printed 1972.
Vintage chromogenic print on fibre-based Kodak paper [NASA AS17-134-20384].
With "A Kodak Paper" watermark on the reverse, numbered "NASA AS17-134-20384" in red in the top margin (issued by NASA Manned Spacecraft Centre, Houston, Texas).
20.3 x 25.4 cm. (8 x 10 in.)
Historical context
An incredible visual milestone: the first photograph of a human on another world with their home planet visible in the background.
This iconic photograph of Harrison Schmitt standing proudly next to the U.S. flag at Taurus-Littrow Base, with the distant Earth framed against the blackness of space, was captured by Eugene Cernan during the final Apollo 17 mission in December 1972. Cernan took great care in framing this exceptional shot ("I want to get the Earth," see mission transcript).
The delicate balance of elements in this composition—including the reflection of Cernan and the flag in Schmitt's gold-plated visor—creates a visual narrative that connects the journey from Earth to the Moon and back. The flag points toward the fragile image of Earth, symbolizing both the pinnacle of human exploration and our enduring connection to our home planet. The South Massif, a prominent lunar mountain at the Taurus-Littrow landing site, provides a dramatic backdrop, amplifying the grandeur of the scene.
Cernan's meticulous efforts resulted in a timeless photograph that encapsulates not only the scientific triumph of Apollo 17 but also the profound significance of humanity's exploration of space. As he later reflected, "I captured the Earth, the Moon, the man, and the country all in one. I'm proud of this picture."
NASA's chief of photography, Richard "Dick" Underwood, praised it as "one of the great photos ever to come out of the space program."
Footnotes
From the mission transcript when the photograph was taken (T+118:25:54 after launch):
118:25:37 Cernan: Well, I want to get something here.
118:25:46 Schmitt: What's that?
118:25:47 Cernan: I want to get the Earth.
118:25:49 Schmitt: Okay. Let me get over here.
118:25:51 Cernan: Get around on that side.
118:25:54 Schmitt: I don't think it's going...You're a little close, maybe, to have them both in focus. That might do it.
Literature
National Geographic, December 1973, pp. 330-331
TIME, 8 January 1973, p. 39
Space: A History of Space Exploration in Photographs, Chaikin, pp. 132-133
The View from Space: American Astronaut Photography, 1962–1972, Schick and Van Haaften, p. 65
Spacecam: Photographing the Final Frontier from Apollo to Hubble, Hope, p. 35
Apollo: The Epic Journey to the Moon, Reynolds, pp. 258-259
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