With a style at once impactful, reflective and irreverent, photographer Jonathan Becker belongs more to the artistic than the documentarian realm, masterfully capturing a theatrical sense of the unexpected as he offers glimpses into rarefied worlds.
Bea Feitler — the late, legendary artistic director responsible for vamping up Harper’s Bazaar and Rolling Stone in the 1960s and ’70s — gave Becker his first big break, in 1981, when she asked him to submit images for the relaunch of Vanity Fair.
Becker, who was 26 at the time, had already been the first Paris-based photographer for W magazine and had forged a close friendship with French-Hungarian Surrealist photographer Brassaï, who was then in his 70s. By this age, too, Becker had also developed an enviable reputation as a portrait photographer working on Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine and alongside Slim Aarons and Norman Parkinson at Town & Country, although he knew not to step on his famous colleagues’ toes. “I was a young little interloper,” he says. “I learned more by listening and watching those giants than by trying to engage in any direct interactions with them.”
The young photographer, who was moonlighting at the time as a New York City cab driver, hadn’t dreamed that the project would put his pictures on an equal footing with those of legends of the medium: Also contributing to this debut edition were some of photography’s most revered names, including Richard Avedon, Irving Penn and Helmut Newton, as well as rising star Annie Leibovitz, whose popularity had recently skyrocketed, thanks to her Rolling Stone cover picture of a naked John Lennon curled up alongside a fully clothed Yoko Ono.
That issue was a game changer in modern magazine publishing, with Vanity Fair setting the bar for engaging editorial and daring design for decades to come. It also signaled the making of a man: Becker’s talent for visual storytelling shone through in his avant-gardist tribute, and the magazine’s creative team kept him on, marking the start of his long career there.
As a regular Vanity Fair contributor, Becker operated in the highest echelons of society, traveling the world and immortalizing countless A-list movers, shakers and thinkers from the fields of fashion, culture and politics, not to mention royalty.
Becker's unconventional way of directing his eye is clearly instinctual, resulting in an unusual aesthetic that mixes perception, myth and reality in equal measure. This balance is most apparent in his famous black-and-white picture of Robert Mapplethorpe, taken in 1988 at the opening of Mapplethorpe’s retrospective exhibition at the Whitney, when the famed photographer was dying of AIDS. It is a group shot, showing various figures at different angles, in which Mapplethorpe, caught in profile and listening intently to a woman kneeling beside him, seems to stop time. The moment is heavy with emotion and also dreamlike. It is ineffably surreal.
Becker has given us Stephen King as a cross-eyed zombie (1980); Dustin Hoffman as a mischief maker, lounging on a stack of sun loungers at the Beverly Hills Hotel (2004); and Diana Vreeland as an aging Raphaelesque Madonna dressed in a voluminous black gown and sitting cross-legged in her famous red-clad living room at 550 Park Avenue (1979). The photographer, a lover of spontaneity who deftly plays with perspectives, keeps us intrigued with his open-ended narratives.
Find a collection of Jonathan Becker photography on 1stDibs.
Yanomami, Amazonia, Brazil, January 1995
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
Yanomami, Amazonia, Brazil, January 1995 X Photographed by Jonathan Becker Contemporary 28" x 28.5" Archival Pigment Print Edition Nº 2 of 9 Certificate of Origin Signed and Titled...
Archival Pigment
At the Real Dolls Factory, San Diego, 19 February 2015
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
At the Real Dolls Factory, 19 February 2015 Portrait of a sex doll crated for shipment to a client. The Real Dolls brand sat at the high-end of the trade, p...
Archival Pigment
Chez Zsa Zsa Gabor, Bel Air, California, 5 May 2007
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
Chez Zsa Zsa Gabor, Bel Air, California, 5 May 2007 X Photographed by Jonathan Becker Contemporary 44" x 44.5" Archival Pigment Print Edition Nº 1 of 9 Ce...
Archival Pigment
Bunny Mellon’s potting shed in Upperville, Virginia, 31 May 2010
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
Bunny Lambert Mellon’s trompe l'oeil potting shed in Upperville, Virginia, 31 May 2010 Photographed by Jonathan Becker Contemporary 28" x 28.5" Archival ...
Archival Pigment
Hunter Thompson and Anita Bejmuk at home, Aspen, Colorado, 7 July 2002
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
Hunter Thompson and Anita Bejmuk at home, Aspen, Colorado, 7 July 2002 Photographed by Jonathan Becker Medium: Archival Pigment Print Dimensions: 44...
Archival Pigment
Ernest Hemingway's house, Ketchum, Idaho, 30 June 2011
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
Ernest Hemingway's house, Ketchum, Idaho, 30 June 2011 On the other side of this door, in the foyer, Ernest Hemingway ended his life with a shotgun. Photographed by Jonathan Becker...
Archival Pigment
at the Darulaman Palace, Kabul, August 2003
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
at the Darulaman Palace, Kabul, August 2003 X Photographed by Jonathan Becker Contemporary 28" x 28.5" Archival Pigment Print Edition Nº 1 of 15 Certificate of Origin Signed and T...
Archival Pigment
Jocelyne Wildenstein at home, New York, 11 January 1998
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
Jocelyne Wildenstein at home, New York, 11 January 1998 It was all animal. The wilder, the better. The décor, the wallpaper, the sculpture and paintings, the trophies, the pets, t...
Archival Pigment
Hunter Thompson and Anita Bejmuk at home, Aspen, Colorado, 7 July 2002
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
Hunter Thompson and Anita Bejmuk at home, Aspen, Colorado, 7 July 2002 X Photographed by Jonathan Becker Contemporary 18" x 18.5" Archival Pigment Pr...
Archival Pigment
$25,000
Chevalier André Leon Talley on the Pont Alexandre III, Paris, 30 June 2013
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
Chevalier André Leon Talley on the Pont Alexandre III at six in the morning, Paris, 30 June 2013 Photographed by Jonathan Becker Contemporary 44" x ...
Archival Pigment
Bunny Lambert Mellon’s potting shed, Upperville, Virginia, 31 May 2010
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
Bunny Lambert Mellon’s potting shed, Upperville, Virginia, 31 May 2010 "Trompe l'oeil (and not)" Photographed by Jonathan Becker Contemporary 28" x 28.5...
Archival Pigment
Adirondack Sky, Adirondack , NY
By Lynda Churilla
Located in Hudson, NY
Listing is for UNFRAMED print. Inquire within for framing. Edition 1 of 10. CURRENT EXHIBITION - runs through October 29th, 2017. Any framed photographs purchased during the show will be available after October 29th. If the exhibition piece is sold or the customer orders a different print size, the photograph is produced upon purchase. Please allow two weeks for production. Shipping time depends on method of shipping. Price is subject to availability. The Robin Rice Gallery reserves the right to adjust this price depending on the current edition of the photograph.” ABOUT In 2008, Andrew Arrick and Michael Hofeman first came across The Robin Rice Gallery and immediately fell in love with the fine art photography becoming fans and collectors of the work. On a visit to the gallery this past winter, Michael and Andrew had a brilliant idea to join forces with Robin to curate an exhibition in tune with the aesthetic of their vintage lifestyle...
Archival Pigment
$3,650
H 28 in W 36 in D 1 in
"La tête" Nude Photography 28" x 36" in. Edition of 18 by Yevgeniy Repiashenko
By Yevgeniy Repiashenko
Located in Culver City, CA
"La tête" Nude Photography 28" x 36" in. Edition of 18 by Yevgeniy Repiashenko Year photo was taken: 2014 Photography Plexiglas photo print Diasec - ready to hang. Edition of 18. ...
Plexiglass, Archival Pigment
$3,100
H 47 in W 36 in D 0.1 in
"Lo" Nude Photography 47" x 36" in Edition of 15 by Yevgeniy Repiashenko
By Yevgeniy Repiashenko
Located in Culver City, CA
"Lo" Nude Photography 47" x 36" in Edition of 15 by Yevgeniy Repiashenko Year photo was taken: 2013 Art Print Limited Edition of 15 Picture size: Height: 47" inch Width: 36" inch ...
Archival Pigment
$1,080Sale Price|20% Off
H 36 in W 44 in D 0.1 in
Untitled (Nr. 0732) Nude Photography 36" x 44" Edition 1/12 by Ben Cope
By Ben Cope
Located in Culver City, CA
Untitled (Nr. 0732) Nude Photography 36" x 44" Edition 1/12 by Ben Cope Signed and numbered by the artist. Comes with COA issued by the artist. Unframed - ships rolled in a tube B...
Archival Pigment
$1,800
H 16 in W 24 in D 1 in
"WetWay" Nude Photography 16 x 24 in Ed. of 28 by Yevgeniy Repiashenko
By Yevgeniy Repiashenko
Located in Culver City, CA
"WetWay" Nude Photography 16 x 24 in Ed. of 28 by Yevgeniy Repiashenko "WetWay" by Yevgeniy Repiashenko Year photo was taken: 2013 Art Print Picture size: Height: 16" inch Width: 2...
Plexiglass, Archival Pigment
$1,080Sale Price|20% Off
H 36 in W 44 in D 0.1 in
Untitled (Nr. 1072) Photography 36" x 44" Edition of 12 by Ben Cope
By Ben Cope
Located in Culver City, CA
Untitled (Nr. 1072) Photography 36" x 44" Edition of 12 by Ben Cope Signed and numbered by the artist. Unframed - ships rolled in a tube Ben Cope + Rowan Daly Off the Grid Off the Grid is the culmination of a six-year photographic journey through Baja, Mexico. Ben Cope and Rowan Daly began their travels in 2014, working their way through the towns of la Salinas, Baja Mar, and Cantamar, down through Ensanada and la Bufadora. This series of photographs depicts the pair’s adventures and explorations. Off the Grid documents the textures, people, and places visited during this incredible journey...
Archival Pigment
$3,850
H 30 in W 40 in D 0.1 in
"Thorned Heart" Nude Photography 30" x 40" inch Edition 1/3 by Aaron Mcpolin
By Aaron McPolin
Located in Culver City, CA
"Thorned Heart" Nude Photography 30" x 40" inch Edition 1/3 by Aaron Mcpolin Medium: Archival Giclee Print Signed and numbered by the artist. Comes with COA issued by the artist Ava...
Archival Pigment
$3,850
H 40 in W 32 in D 0.1 in
"Kissing Eden" Photography 40" x 32" in Ed. 1/3 by Aaron Mcpolin
By Aaron McPolin
Located in Culver City, CA
"Kissing Eden" Photography 40" x 32" in Ed. 1/3 by Aaron Mcpolin Signed and numbered by the artist. Comes with COA issued by the artist Medium: Archival Giclee Print Not framed....
Archival Pigment
$2,560Sale Price|20% Off
H 36 in W 24 in D 0.1 in
"Chrysalis" Nude Photography 36" x 24" in Ed. 1/7 by Aaron Mcpolin
By Aaron McPolin
Located in Culver City, CA
"Chrysalis" Nude Photography 36" x 24" in Ed. 1/7 by Aaron Mcpolin Signed and numbered by the artist. Comes with COA issued by the artist Archival Giclee Print NOT framed. Ships in ...
Archival Pigment
$2,950
H 36 in W 24 in D 0.1 in
"Posthumous Remains" Nude Photography 36" x 24" in Ed. 1/7 by Aaron Mcpolin
By Aaron McPolin
Located in Culver City, CA
"Posthumous Remains" Nude Photography 36" x 24" in Ed. 1/7 by Aaron Mcpolin Archival Giclee Print Signed and numbered by the artist. Comes with COA issued by the artist. Not framed....
Archival Pigment
$3,850
H 40 in W 40 in D 0.1 in
"Valentine" Nude Photography 40" x 40" inch Edition 1/3 by Aaron Mcpolin
By Aaron McPolin
Located in Culver City, CA
"Valentine" Nude Photography 40" x 40" inch Edition 1/3 by Aaron Mcpolin Medium: Archival Giclee Print Signed and numbered by the artist. Comes with COA issued by the artist. Avail...
Archival Pigment
$3,850
H 40 in W 30 in D 0.1 in
"Midnight Petals, Soft Wounds" Photography 40" x 30" in Ed. 1/3 by Aaron Mcpolin
By Aaron McPolin
Located in Culver City, CA
"Midnight Petals, Soft Wounds" Photography 40" x 30" in Ed. 1/3 by Aaron Mcpolin Medium: Archival Giclee Print Signed and numbered by the artist. Comes with COA issued by the artist...
Archival Pigment
At Ernest Hemingway's House, Ketchum, Idaho, 1 July 2011
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
At Ernest Hemingway's House, Ketchum, Idaho, 1 July 2011 Hence maintained and left impeccably intact, in stillness, since the shotgun blast twenty paces away, fifty years before Ph...
Archival Pigment
Sold
H 28 in W 28 in
Charles, HRH The Prince of Wales at Highgrove, England, 21 June 2010
By Jonathan Becker
Located in New York, NY
Charles, HRH The Prince of Wales at home, Highgrove, Gloucestershire, England, 21 June 2010 In reflection having just completed his magnum opus, ...
Archival Pigment