Henri Cartier-Bresson (French, 1908–2004) “In the Last Days of the Kuomintang, Peking, 1949,” printed 1980s ($5/7,000).

BOSTON — Skinner, Inc. will present American and European works of art at auction on Friday, May 19, in two sessions. The fine prints and photographs session starts at noon and fine paintings and sculpture is at 4. The auction offers an extensive variety of paintings, sculpture, prints, photographs, and works on paper ranging from Old Master prints through Modern and contemporary offerings.

Matisse’s “Marie-José en robe jaune” ($50/80,000) is a standout among prints. Robin Starr, Skinner’s Director of American & European Works of Art, says of this aquatint, “Matisse’s use of line and color takes the contemplative subject of a woman seated by a table with a book open on her lap, and turns it into something animated and vigorous.”

The photography category offers a broad range of subject matter, time, and geography with works by Edward Curtis and Edward Steichen, examples from French, Swiss, Cuban, and Canadian photographers, and prints dating 1850s–2000s.

Michelle Lamunière, specialist in photography, noted two mural-sized gelatin silver prints by Ansel Adams. “Leaves and Raindrops, Glacier Bay,” circa 1948 ($15/25,000) displays his fascination with the details of the natural world.

Conversely, Walker Evans found beauty in very different subject matter. In a still life series made in the 1960s, Evans explored the debris on New York streets in eloquent close-ups like “New York City Gutter” ($3/5,000).

Images range from the exotic like John Beasley Greene’s 1850s salt print of “View of Terrain near Gebel Abousir, Second Cataract, Egypt” ($2/3,000) to the glamorous in Edward Steichen’s studio portrait of Florence Meyer Homolka ($3/5,000), to the bizarre in Philippe Halsman’s “Marilyn/Mao” ($800-1,200).

Contemporary photography is well represented with images by Edward Burtynsky, Abelardo Morell, Tseng Kwong Chi, John Coplans, and William Wegman.

Leading sculpture offerings is Auguste Rodin’s “Grande Main Crispée Gauche (Large Clenched Left Hand)” ($120/180,000) originally modeled circa 1885, possibly as a study, later rejected, for his great sculpture “The Burghers of Calais.” This bronze exemplifies Rodin’s intense interest in the ability of hands to express a range of profound emotions.

Another standout sculpture is Alexander Calder’s untitled (Standing Mobile), circa 1953 ($100/150,000) and at only 3 inches high, displays the engineering skill, artistic genius and wit for which Calder is renowned.

“Paul Revere” ($20/40,000) is a Cyrus Dallin sculpture of the Revolutionary War patriot. This bronze is one of only 12 made from an original plaster of the 1899 version in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Chosen for the catalog cover is Charles Prendergast’s untitled (Vase with Flowers and Birds), 1936 ($30/50,000). Rendered in tempera and gold leaf on an incised gessoed panel, the medium recalls the early Italian works that Prendergast admired. The style and subject matter are much influenced by American folk art, which Prendergast helped to popularize in the first half of the Twentieth Century.

Preview continues this week at Skinner, 63 Park Plaza, May 18, noon to 8 pm, and auction day, 9 to 10 am. For more information, www.skinnerinc.com.