#270 • Johnny Johnson "Breach of Worlds", "Sea Wolf" & "Spirit of Denali" Photographs

Part of The Johnny Johnson Estate Auction (timed auction by Alaska Premier Auctions & Appraisals)

Starting at $5.00

Status: Available

Bidding closes Nov 3, 2026 7:29 PM AKST

Category: Art

Three signed and numbered photographs by Alaska wildlife photographer Johnny Johnson (1947-2025). The first work, "Breach of Worlds", is dated circa 1994 and numbered 142/950. The accompanying description reads: "A humpback whale performs a full body breach near Admiralty Island in Southeast Alaska. When 40 tons of whale bursts from the water your heart stops and for a few quick seconds this behemoth of the deep appears. Then in a great crash of water it is gone." The second work, "Sea Wolf", is dated circa 2002 and numbered 50/950. The accompanying description reads: "Orcas or killer whales have a social structure much like a pack of wolves. The large male in this photo, taken near the southern tip of Admiralty Island in Southeast Alaska, was the leader of a group of about ten whales. My wife and I were able to observe the pack hunting for salmon and actually saw them take a seal and later a sea otter. It was fascinating to watch them hunting within ten feet of land and cooperatively encircle their prey before making a kill. In this image the Orca whale is traveling very close to shore and the spruce tree covered mountains are reflected in the ocean which explains the marvelous patterns of green in the blue water. The spray is created when the whale exhales upon surfacing in preparation to take another deep breath of air before diving." The third work, "Spirit of Denali", is dated circa 1985 and numbered 901/950. Johnson described the scene: "After being out of print for over a decade, I have decided to release the remaining two hundred numbers of "Spirit of Denali". Taken with my 300mm lens near Thorofare Pass, I have always loved the power, color and sheer scale of this once-in-a-lifetime shot. The bull caribou is at about 4,000 feet in elevation approximately twenty miles from Mt. McKinley and almost 16,000 feet lower than the north peak (19,470). The south peak (true summit 20,320') is obscured by storm clouds. Climbers follow the Muldrow glacier (lower right) up Karstens Ridge (left of Great Harper glacier & icefall) to the summit. The temperature difference between the mountain's peak and this caribou could top 100 Fahrenheit." All three are signed, dated, and numbered in gold leaf ink; "Sea Wolf" and "Spirit of Denali" are on Fuji Crystal Archive Supergloss, while "Breach of Worlds" is on Cibachrome/Ilfochrome. The photographs are shrink-wrapped on board; the larger measures approximately 18.5" x 24.5".