Portraits

by Irving Penn

Drawn from a career spanning seven decades, Irving Penn Portraits presents thirty photographs of renowned personalities by one of the most distinguished photographers of the 20th century. With an essay by curator Magdalene Keaney, Irving Penn Portraits is the first book to focus exclusively on Penn€™s portraiture and his contributions to the genre. From Penn€™s early work of the 1940s to recent images made in 21st century, Irving Penn Portraits honors a selection of photographs with reproductions of superb quality. Among those featured are Giorgio de Chirico, Igor Stravinsky, Pablo Picasso, Duke Ellington, Marlene Dietrich, Woody Allen, Rudolf Nureyev, Helmut Newton and Jasper Johns.

Genres: Photography, Nonfiction

80 pages, Hardcover

First published February 1, 2010

About the author

Irving Penn was an American photographer known for his portraiture and fashion photography.

Reviews

[Orest Mercator · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent photographs. The photo of "Cecil Beaton with Nude" is so striking: very sculptural, perfectly choreographed, and excellent layering. I feel like Penn was a master of controlling the lines in a frame -- both those bodies made and those given by their surround. I like his style of using the tight space where walls converge to add dimension and depth behind his subjects: instead of isolating them from a background he puts them in relation to it. Instead of using props, however, he uses geometry, scale, and distance to convey who each person is. Other standout portraits: Marlene Dietrich (1948), Colette (51), Picasso (57), Barnett Newman (66), and Duke Ellington (71).

[H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Has there been a portrait photographer greater than Penn? He's still the gold standard. Excellent collection, and a great introduction to his work.