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Herb Ritts Furniture

American, 1952-2000

Herb Ritts Jr. fashioned himself into one of the top photographers to emerge from the 1980s.

Ritts's aesthetic incorporated facets of life in and around Los Angeles. He often made use of the bright California sunlight to produce bold contrasts, and his preference for outdoor locations such as the desert and the beach helped to separate his photography from that of his New York-based peers.

Ritts's intimate portraiture, his modern yet classical treatment of the nude, and his innovative approach to fashion brought him international acclaim and placed him securely within an American tradition of portrait and magazine photography that includes Richard Avedon, Robert Mapplethorpe and Irving Penn.

From the late 1970s until Ritts's untimely death from AIDS-related complications in 2002, his ability to create images that successfully bridged the gap between art and commerce was not only a testament to the power of his imagination and technical skill, but also marked the synergistic union between art, popular culture and business that followed in the wake of the Pop art movement of the 1960s and 1970s.

Find original Herb Ritts Jr. photography on 1stDibs.

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Creator: Herb Ritts
Set of 4 Herb & Shirley Ritts Iron, Bamboo & Suede Dining Side Chairs, 1950s
By Shirley Ritts, Herb Ritts
Located in Bainbridge, NY
Set of Four Herbert and Shirley Ritts Wroughtan Inc. Wrought Iron, Leather & Bamboo Dining Side Chairs. Featuring a sturdy black enameled wrought iron framework, ergonomic curved st...
Category

1950s American Mid-Century Modern Vintage Herb Ritts Furniture

Materials

Wrought Iron

Pair of Midcentury Lucite Bookends by Herb Ritts for Astrolite
By Astrolite, Herb Ritts
Located in San Diego, CA
A gorgeous air of midcentury Lucite bookends by Herb Ritts for Astrolite, circa 1970s. The pair are in excellent condition and would make a great addition to any midcentury study or ...
Category

Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Herb Ritts Furniture

Materials

Lucite

Pair of Midcentury Lucite Bookends by Herb Ritts for Astrolite
By Astrolite, Herb Ritts
Located in San Diego, CA
A gorgeous pair of mid-century lucite bookends by Herb Ritts for Astrolite, circa 1970s. The pair are in excellent condition and would make a great addition to any midcentury study o...
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Mid-20th Century American Mid-Century Modern Herb Ritts Furniture

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Lucite

Stellar pair of Herb Ritts Lucite Bookends
By Herb Ritts
Located in Evanston, IL
Enhance your pace with these exquisite lucite bookends, crafted by Herbert and Shirley Ritts, parents of famed photographer Herb Ritts. Their sleek, minimalist design adds a touch o...
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1970s North American Vintage Herb Ritts Furniture

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Lucite, Bentwood

Vintage Herb Ritts Mid-Century Lucite Sculpture
By Herb Ritts
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Made of thick Lucite and shaped organically into a center piece or serving bowl resting on a flattened area on the bottom this bowl is attributed to the Ritts Company of Los Angeles ...
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Late 20th Century Mid-Century Modern Herb Ritts Furniture

Materials

Lucite

Mid-Century Ritts Astrolite Modern Lucite Bookends, a Pair
By Herb Ritts
Located in Jensen Beach, FL
Fabulous modernist lucite bookends by Ritts Astrolite.
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Mid-20th Century Herb Ritts Furniture

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Lucite

Vintage "Pictures" Book by Herb Ritts
By Herb Ritts
Located in San Diego, CA
The quintessential distillation of American Pop culture in the eighties, "Pictures" by Herb Ritts, circa 1988. The book is in very good vintage condition and measures 11.25" x 14.5". A must have! #4282 Herb Ritts was an American fashion photographer who concentrated on black-and-white photography and portraits in the style of classical Greek sculpture. Consequently some of his more famous pieces are of male and female nudes in what can be called glamour photography. Ritts was born in Los Angeles, California to a prosperous family. His parents, Herb and Shirley Ritts, owned a successful furniture business. He received an economics degree from Bard College in upstate New York in 1974 and soon after returned to Los Angeles to work as a sales representative for his family's business. He came out as gay to his parents while in college; they were accepting and supportive. However, Ritts started taking night classes in photography and decided to dedicate himself to the art in the late 1970s. His first break into the business occurred as a result of taking portraits of his actor friend Richard Gere. These photos gained national exposure on the covers of many magazines. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s he worked with magazines such as Harper's Bazaar, Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair and Vogue on portraits of famous people and artistic photos of models. Subjects of his black-and-white celebrity portraits included Kofi Annan, Cindy Crawford, Tenzin Gyatso (the Dalai Lama), Madonna, Jack Nicholson and Elizabeth Taylor. In 1981, Ritts took photos for the album cover of Olivia Newton-John's Physical. He started his long term collaboration with Madonna in 1984, when he shot the ad for her movie Desperately Seeking Susan. In 1984, he photographed Eagles drummer and vocalist Don Henley for his second solo album Building the Perfect Beast. In 1986, Ritts shot the cover photo of Madonna's True Blue album. He later ventured into the world of music video at a suggestion of Madonna and filmed her video "Cherish". In 1988, he photographed Steve Winwood for his Roll With It album. In 1989, he photographed Belinda Carlisle...
Category

Late 20th Century American Modern Herb Ritts Furniture

Materials

Paper

California Modern Herbert Ritts for Astrolite Clear Lucite "Twist" Table Lamp
By Herb Ritts, Astrolite
Located in Bainbridge, NY
California Modern Transparent Helix Lucite Table Lamp by Herbert Ritts Inc. Los Angeles, California Astrolite Products, 1970's. Featuring an elevate...
Category

1970s American Hollywood Regency Vintage Herb Ritts Furniture

Materials

Chrome

Editioned Photograph Jack Nicholson IV, London by Herb Ritts
By Herb Ritts
Located in Atlanta, GA
A framed black and white editioned photograph by American photographer Herb Ritts (1952–2002) dated to 1988. Entitled "Jack Nicholson IV, London", the work is one of the four iconic ...
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1980s American Modern Vintage Herb Ritts Furniture

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paper

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Herb Ritts furniture for sale on 1stDibs.

Herb Ritts furniture are available for sale on 1stDibs. These distinctive items are frequently made of plastic and are designed with extraordinary care. There are many options to choose from in our collection of Herb Ritts furniture, although gray editions of this piece are particularly popular. Many of the original furniture by Herb Ritts were created in the mid-century modern style in united states during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider furniture by Polia Pillin, Rupert J. Deese, and Richard Galef. Prices for Herb Ritts furniture can differ depending upon size, time period and other attributes — on 1stDibs, these items begin at $375 and can go as high as $2,400, while a piece like these, on average, fetch $1,000.
Questions About Herb Ritts Furniture
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Herb Ritts was known for his black and white style of photography. He shot a wide range of celebrities and iconic figures in the 1980s and ‘90s, and his work took inspiration from ancient Greek sculpture styles. On 1stDibs, find a collection of authentic Herb Ritts pieces from top sellers around the world.
  • 1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022
    Herb Ritts got into photography because of his friend, the actor Richard Gere. Before Gere became famous, Ritts agreed to take promotional photos of him in front of a classic car. The media widely circulated the photograph, and Ritts became more interested in the art form. You'll find a range of Herb Ritts photographic art on 1stDibs.

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