Slim Aarons
Nice Pool, Estate Edition
1955, printed later

Name: Nice Pool, Estate Edition
Brand: Slim Aarons
Price: 6555 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

Step into the world of casual elegance and midcentury glamour with Slim Aarons' evocative photograph, "Nice Pool" This image offers a mesmerizing glimpse into the opulent life of American writer C.Z. Guest, her son Alexander, and their two loyal canine companions, all framed against the breathtaking backdrop of their ocean-front estate, Villa Artemis, in Palm Beach. The heart of the photograph is the radiant turquoise pool, reflecting the Grecian temple's regal columns in its rippling mirror surface. Adorned in crisp white, C.Z. Guest exudes a timeless elegance, perfectly complemented by her son's black swimsuit. A journey beyond the Neoclassical temple's white marble steps unveils a meticulously manicured terrace of emerald green grass. And further, separated by a stately stone fence, the wild ultramarine sea roars, creating a stunning contrast with the serenity of the estate. The silhouette of the statue of Artemis gracefully stands against the vastness of this sea, embodying the estate's namesake. Above, the vast expanse of a delft blue sky stretches out, embodying the limitless luxury of the era. Yet, what sets this image apart is the unexpected. A solitary palm tree, leaning diagonally into the frame from the right, disrupts the near-perfect symmetry, adding a dynamic twist to the composition and emphasizing Aarons' signature style of capturing organic, candid glamour. For art collectors, midcentury aficionados, or those passionate about capturing moments of timeless elegance, this photograph is more than just an image – it's an invitation. With "Nice Pool," Slim Aarons invites you to a bygone era of casual opulence and classic American glamour. Add this piece to your collection and let it transport you to 1955, where beauty and sophistication effortlessly intertwine on the sunlit shores of Palm Beach. Complimentary dealer shipping to your framer, worldwide. Undercurrent Projects is proud to offer this vibrant photograph, printed by the Slim Aarons estate. It is part of the estate's only official limited run, of 150. Estate stamp embossed on recto, hand numbered in ink on recto, with certificate of authenticity from the estate (not a secondary gallery licensing from the estate). Increasingly heralded for his influence, Slim Aarons (1916-2006) made a career out of photographing "attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places." Aarons is known for his iconic images of Hollywood glamour and luxurious people, places and lifestyles. Undercurrent Projects offers premium quality photographic prints from the Slim Aarons Archive, owned and housed by Getty Images. All photographs are printed and authorized by the Getty Images Gallery, London. Photographs are printed utilizing the original transparency held at the archive source. Aarons began his career as a combat photographer in World War II. Though he earned a Purple Heart for his service, he declared that combat had taught him that the only beach worth landing on was decorated with beautiful people enjoying themselves in the sun. Slim Aarons is noted for his documentation of the Beautiful People over 50 years, encompassing high society, celebrity, aristocracy, and the jet set. He was born and raised in New York City and New Jersey and later New Hampshire. He took up photography as a teenager. At the age of eighteen, he enlisted in the U. S. Army and was later appointed official photographer at the United States Military Academy at West Point. During World War II he served as an army combat photographer for Yank magazine in Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. After the war he became a freelance photojournalist, first based in Hollywood, then Rome, then New York. His photographs appeared in many magazines, including Life, Holiday, Town & Country, Look, Venture, and Travel & Leisure. His first book A Wonderful Time (1974) is considered a classic. * We are pleased to represent the entire archive of the Slim Aarons Estate, offering the official Slim Aarons Estate Edition (only offered in this edition of 150). Please contact us for additional photographs from Slim Aarons * Slide show includes a close-up of the Slim Aarons estate's stamp. The Slim Aarons Estate has released the limited Estate edition as a Lambda print, which is a modern c-type prints. They have chosen Lambda prints for their sharpness, clarity, colour saturation and quality, compared to archival inkjet prints. Lambda printing gives true continuous tone. #slimaarons #midcenturypalmbeach #poolsideglamour #slimaaronspoolside Internal: Curate under midcentury glamour, vintage palm beach, classic neoclassical coastal estates, coastal luxury, midcentury portrait photography, midcentury author, midcentury socialite

Creator:

Slim Aarons (1916-2006, American)

Creation Year:

1955, printed later

Dimensions:

Height: 48 in (121.92 cm)Width: 48 in (121.92 cm)

More Editions & Sizes:

30 x 30 inchesPrice: $4,83040 x 40 inchesPrice: $6,21048 x 48 inchesPrice: $6,55560 x 60 inches (giclee)Price: $7,245

Medium:

Lambda

Movement & Style:

Realist

Period:

1950-1959

Framing:

Framing Options Available

Condition:

Gallery Location:

Los Angeles, CA

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU14811603152

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Shop All Slim Aarons

Slim Aarons

American photographer Slim Aarons captured the 20th century’s international jet set — U.S. socialites, European royalty, Hollywood stars — at play in sun-kissed locales like Monaco, Saint-Tropez and Palm Beach, as well as other luxurious settings around the globe.

Committed to eschewing makeup and artificial lighting, Aarons created images that are at once candid and polished, combining the relaxed posture of his subjects, who trusted him to document their lives, with the visual sharpness of a seasoned art director. Having gotten his start taking pictures for the U.S. military magazine Yank during World War II, he contributed over the course of his career to Life, Town and Country and Holiday magazines and published several books.

Aarons was born in Manhattan in 1916. He joined the army at 18, shooting military maneuvers at West Point before serving as a combat photographer, for which he was awarded a Purple Heart. After the war, he moved to California and began snapping socialites and movie stars. In the 1950s, he opened a bureau for Life magazine in Rome, where he took pictures capturing the postwar scene. Aarons was always able to win the trust of his elite subjects, who saw him as close to a peer, rather than a paparazzo. In a 2002 interview with The Independent, he remarked, ''I knew everyone. They would invite me to one of their parties because they knew I wouldn't hurt them. I was one of them.'' This access allowed Aarons to document the rich and famous with their guard down, reading newspapers and magazines, talking on the phone, relaxing by the pool, and chatting with friends. The 1957 photograph The Kings of Hollywood, for example, which won him wide acclaim, shows Clark Gable, Van Heflin, Gary Cooper and Jimmy Stewart laughing together as they celebrate New Year’s Eve.

Many of Aarons’s best-known images involve games and sports. In the 1972 Poolside Backgammon, two young women play the board game of the title against the backdrop of a majestic Acapulco estate. In 1958’s Cannes Watersports, a couple attempts to glide across the Golfe de la Napoule on Jet Skis, one expertly and one hanging on for dear life. And in Penthouse Pool, shot in Athens in 1961, a young woman wearing a yellow bathing cap smiles coyly at the camera, surrounded by friends and brightly colored seat cushions, with the Acropolis faintly visible in the background. Among Aarons’s books are 1974’s A Wonderful Time: An Intimate Portrait of the Good Life, and its 2003 sequel, Once Upon a Time. His final book, A Place in the Sun, was published in 2005, one year before his death.

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