Robert Mapplethorpe's *Y Portfolio* (1978) is a collection of thirteen selenium-toned gelatin silver prints that showcases the artist's masterful command of light, shadow, and formal composition. Published collaboratively through Harry Lunn in Washington D.C., Robert Miller in New York, and Robert Self in London, the portfolio reflects Mapplethorpe's ability to elevate his provocative and often controversial subjects to the level of classical beauty. The rich, warm tones achieved through the selenium process lend the images a lustrous, timeless quality that underscores Mapplethorpe's dedication to photography as a fine art medium.