In 1969, Gloria Vanderbilt posed for the cover of Town & Country wearing a black and white ruffled collar with pearls adorning both her earlobes and fingers. Her immortalizer was none other than Richard Avedon, the photographer whose name is now synonymous with portraiture.
On May 15, Avedon would've turned 100 years old and to celebrate, an exhibition of his career titled Avedon 100 comes alive at Gagosian in New York City this spring. The works featured in this retrospective were chosen by 150 cultural figures including including Elton John, Naomi Campbell, and Kate Moss. And, for those who are unable to make it or perhaps want a slice of Avedon history in their homes, Avedon 100 is also being produced as a retrospective book by Gagosian.
It's clear that Avedon's muses orbited around a glitzy, aristocratic world. But, what made him highly desired by them? What did it mean to be photographed by Richard Avedon, and what about his practice allowed him to capture some of the world's most mysterious figures with such vulnerability?
Truman Capote, the social chronicler of New York Swans, attempted to describe Avedon's talents nearly 70 years before the exhibition opening in a foreword for Observations (1959), a photography book of Avedon's portraits. Capote attributed Avedon's skill to his "brown and deceivingly normal eyes, so energetic at seeing the concealed and seizing the spirit."
Within the same book, others excerpts written by Capote accompany the black-and-white series of photographs of cultural luminaries lensed by Avedon. There is a portrait of Rainer Maria Rilke that comes right after one of Edward VIII (still stylized with "King" at the time) and Wallis Simpson. Pablo Picasso is seen within the pages, as is Gabrielle Chanel. Then there are the Swans , "an aloof armada" as Capote described. "A beautiful woman, beautifully elegant, impresses our art does, changes the weather of our spirit; and that, is that a frivolous matter? I think not." Of course, he is speaking of Babe Paley, Jacqueline de Ribes, and Marella Agnelli.
For the upcoming centenary exhibition at Gagosian, the icy yet alluring portraits of Jacqueline de Ribes and Marella Agnelli are once again celebrated, along with the photographs of Capote himself. "Avedon was able to bring essence, real substance to the forefront," Kara Vander Weg, Senior Director of Gagosian, tells Town & Country. " For someone to be singled out and presented in such a fashion by Avedon sort of cemented them as icons."
According to Avedon 100, The Vicomtesse Jacqueline de Ribes, whose photograph was chosen by Hamish Bowles, first met Avedon on the day of their shoot together in 1955. "That day, I entered a world of sophistication," she said. "I am so grateful to him–the genius of artist...the visionnaire that will inspire generation after generation." The portrait of Agnelli was chosen by Kate Moss because it reminded the supermodel of "an Old Masters painting," while Anderson Cooper and his brother, Stan Stokowski, decided to include a portrait of their mother, Gloria Vanderbilt.
Blue-blood society aside, the exhibition represents various periods of Avedon's work, including the American West series, images of social justice movements, as well as work in advertising and fashion. Other portraits found in Avedon 100 include ones of Tom Ford, Audrey Hepburn, Hillary Clinton, Andy Warhol, and Shirley Chisholm.
But fans of his work, whether they be longtime or novel, may notice that many of his portraits consist of the same formula: black and white with a usually stark white background. The magic relied on his relationship with his subjects.
"In part was the fact that he stood next to the camera, not behind it. He looked [his subjects] in the eye and interacted with them. Even photographs of the same people are very different."
Richard Avedon, Marilyn Monroe, actor, New York, May 6, 1957© The Richard Avedon Foundation, Courtesy of Gagosian
Vander Weg references the two portraits of Marilyn Monroe. The first, she points out, is one that portrays her as the world knew her–glamorous and charismatic with flowing bleach-blonde hair and a seemingly unwavering smile. The second is a single portrait shot right after. Monroe, Hollywood's bombshell, appears defeated, tired, and lonely.
What made Avedon's work, simple yet elusive, so special? "Avedon was able to shoot one person from two different perspectives. These photos of Marilyn gave her dimension."
Avedon 100 opens to the public on May 4. To learn more about the exhibition, please visit gagosian.com. To preorder the book, please visit gagosianshop.com
Style News Editor at Town and Country covering society, style, art, and design.
