Keith Richards, Telecaster, Nellcôte, France, 1971 (Sepia)

Keith Richards reclines on the parquet floor of the luxurious Villa Nellcôte in the South of France during the legendary Exile on Main St. recordings. Seated with what appears to be his legendary 1953 Fender Telecaster - nicknamed "Micawber" - in his lap, Keith is surrounded by Anita Pallenberg, Gram Parsons, and Parsons' girlfriend at the time, Gretchen Burrell. The guitar was supposedly gifted to him on his 27th birthday about 6 months earlier by Eric Clapton, and it remains one of his very favorite instruments to this day. 

This image is the most iconic and sought-after photograph from that legedary Summer of 1971. The scene perfectly captures the long warm nights spent working out riffs and the endless mix of family and friends that streamed in and out of that estate.

Collector's Notes:

SFAE is the exclusive representative in the US for Dominique Tarlé's photographs.