Horst: Sixty Years of Photography

by Martin Kazmaier

A collection of two hundred fashion shots, still lifes, and famous portraits celebrates Horst's sixty-year career

Genres: Photography

278 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 1991

Reviews

[Andy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the most surreal images to come out of the Thirties were created by a young photographer named Horst P. Horst with his images of disembodied hands holding cigarette holders or an endlessly-stemmed rose. Dali and Cocteau were friends and enjoyed being photographed by him. Many of the images in this book will linger in your mind for a long time.

My two favorite photos in the book are "Electric Beauty" showing a practically mummified woman swathed in facial cream, towels draped around her head and body with toenails and fingernails lacquered, her body completely immobile in the stifling process of beautification. The other one is a bizarre portrait of Gene Tierney posing with half a dozen mannequin heads circled around her making you wonder who's the real model and who's the imitation. His Ginger Rogers by a lamppost is an iconic image, too. Amazing images!

Although I didn't care for the stiff and redundant text that begins this impressive collection, the book made up for it by showcasing a photo of a young Karl Lagerfeld, not yet Lou Reed-sunglassed with ponytail wig and fingerless gloved with the skyscraper collar. One look and you'll be very surprised.