Visual artist Man Ray's "Le Violon d'Ingres" is set to go down in history as the most expensive photograph ever sold at auction.

The black and white photograph, taken in 1924 by the surrealist artist, transforms a woman's body into a violin.

The original print of the masterpiece, widely regarded as Man Ray's most famous work, is expected to fetch between $ 5-7 million when it goes up for auction in May - the highest rating for a single photograph in history, according to the house of Christie's auction.

Man Ray (1890 - 1976) was an important member of Dadaism and Surrealism. Ray was an American visual artist who spent most of his career in Paris. He created various works, but considered himself a painter above all.

According to the auction house, the couple Melvin and Rosalind Gersten Jacobs, both collectors, bought this piece from Ray in 1962 and will sell it along with other works of art, paintings, jewelry and posters, from their assembled art collection over the decades.

Darius Himes, head of photography at Christie's, called the photograph "one of the most iconic works of the 20th century". "This captivating surreal image is the result of a unique and hand-manipulated process in the dark room," he said.

Himes added: "The achievement and impact of the image, simultaneously romantic, mysterious, 'deceptive' and playful, has occupied everyone's mind for almost 100 years. As a photographic work, it is unprecedented in the market."