Philippe Halsman’s deep interest in the human face informed a celebrated and decades-spanning career in portrait photography. Shot in black and white, his portrait photographs feature celebrities, artists, politicians and intellectuals. The iconic photographs appeared on the covers of some of the biggest magazines, including Life, Look, Esquire and Paris Match.
Halsman was born in Riga, Latvia, in 1906. When he was 15 years old, he discovered a camera in the attic. He fell in love with taking pictures and spent most of his allowance on his new hobby. He later studied engineering, but left school before earning his degree and moved to Paris to pursue photography.
In the 1930s, Halsman lived in Montparnasse, the artistic center of Paris. He caught his first big break when he approached French writer André Gide to take his portrait. After that, many more writers and actors requested photographs, and Halsman began shooting for Vogue, Viola and Vu.
When World War II broke out, Halsman sent his pregnant wife and daughter to the United States. He could not go with them due to his Latvian passport. As luck would have it, he was pen pals with famed physicist Albert Einstein, who intervened and ensured that Halsman was granted a visa. He arrived in New York City in 1940.
In America, Halsman had to start from scratch. A turning point was when beauty tycoon Elizabeth Arden used one of his photographs to advertise her Victory Red lipstick. In the early 1940s, Halsman met artist Salvador Dalí, and the two became friends and partners. One of their most notable collaborations was the 1948 photograph Dalí Atomicus, which shows Dalí, his cats, canvas, furniture and water floating in the air.
Throughout the rest of his career, Halsman was a prolific contributor to Life magazine and his photographs were on the cover 101 times. In 1958, Popular Photography named him one of the “World’s Ten Greatest Photographers”.
On 1stDibs, find a collection of Philippe Halsman’s photography.
Anna Magnani - Photograph by Philippe Halsman - 1951
By Philippe Halsman
Located in Roma, IT
Vintage b/w photograph realized by Philippe Halsman in 1951. Copyright: Magnum Photos and Agenzia Contrasto. Excellent condition.
Photographic Paper
$5,000Sale Price|41% Off
Phillipe Halsman Portrait Photography Lauren Bacall Black and White Framed 1944
By Philippe Halsman
Located in Buffalo, NY
The work offered for sale here is an original vintage silver gelatin print hand created by Halsman in 1944 and exhibited at the International Center for Photography. Philippe Halsman was at one point considered the best photo-portraitist in France. He had an incessant interest in faces: “Every face I see seems to hide—and sometimes fleetingly reveal—the mystery of another human being.” Halsman’s photographs of politicians, celebrities, and intellectuals were featured widely in magazines like LIFE and Vogue. His more famous subjects included the likes of Marc Chagall, Le Corbusier, Audrey Hepburn, and Albert Einstein. He also had a 37-year collaboration with Salvador Dalí, which resulted in several famous surrealist series including the “Dalí’s Mustache” portraits...
Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin, Wood
$4,088
H 20 in W 30 in
Sparring - Chris Smith, Muhammad Ali, Ali, boxing, black and white, 20x30 in
By Chris Smith
Located in London, GB
Chris Smith (b.1937) Sparring silver gelatin fibre based print 20 x 30 in. / 34.5 x 48 in. / 46 x 66 in. signed and numbered printed later This work is available in the following si...
Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
$1,700
H 8 in W 10 in
Stripper, Crazy Horse Saloon, Paris, France, 1956, Gelatin Silver Print, 8x10
By Burt Glinn
Located in New york, NY
American photographer Burt Glinn's Stripper, Crazy Horse Saloon, Paris, 1956, is an 8" x 10" gelatin silver print, with notations and the photographer's magnum stamp on verso (back o...
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
$2,400
H 11 in W 14 in
Southern State, 1964, Civil Rights, Gelatin Silver Photograph, Signed, 11x14
By Leonard Freed
Located in New york, NY
The photograph Southern State, 1964 by Leonard Freed captures the American South of the 1960s. An 11” x 14” gelatin silver photograph from the photographer's Black in White America s...
Photographic Film, Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
$1,500
H 16 in W 18 in D 0.25 in
Home of Colonel William H. Terrill Roanoke Virginia Original Photograph
Located in Soquel, CA
Home of Colonel William H. Terrill Roanoke Virginia Original Photograph Home of the Colonel William Terrill (CSA) Roanoke Virginia, original period s...
Photographic Paper, Ink, Silver Gelatin
$13,082
H 46 in W 66 in
Hard at the Gym - Chris Smith, Muhammad Ali, boxing, black and white, 46x66 in
By Chris Smith
Located in London, GB
Chris Smith (b.1937) Hard at the Gym 1971 silver gelatin fibre based print 20 x 30 in. / 34.5 x 48 in. / 46 x 66 in. signed and numbered printed later This work is available in the ...
Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
Untitled from "On The Acropolis"
By Tod Papageroge
Located in New York, NY
Listing includes free shipping in the US and a 14-day return policy. All prints are made to order and will arrive in mint condition directly from Tod Papageorge...
Silver Gelatin, Photographic Paper
$700
H 19.69 in W 19.69 in D 0.04 in
Reinventing oneself, II - Polaroid, Contemporary, Color, 21st Century
By Kirsten Thys van den Audenaerde
Located in Morongo Valley, CA
Reinventing oneself, II - 2019, 50x50cm, Edition of 7 plus 2 Artist Proofs. Archival C-Print based on the original Polaroid. Signature label with certificate. Artist inventory ...
Photographic Paper, C Print, Color, Polaroid, Archival Paper
$8,994
H 34.5 in W 48 in
Hard at the Gym - Chris Smith, Muhammad Ali, boxing, black and white, 34.5x48 in
By Chris Smith
Located in London, GB
Chris Smith (b.1937) Hard at the Gym 1971 silver gelatin fibre based print 20 x 30 in. / 34.5 x 48 in. / 46 x 66 in. signed and numbered printed later This work is available in the ...
Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
$2,600
H 20 in W 20 in
Figurative_Self Portrait_Manipulated Photography_Brooke Shaden, Surging Tides
By Brooke Shaden
Located in Laguna Beach, CA
BROOKE SHADEN "Surging Tides" 2024 Photo on Velvet Fine Art Paper, Ed. of 10 20 x 20 inches, Unframed Channeling the light and darkness inherent in humanity through her self-portrai...
Photographic Paper
$11,447
H 66 in W 46 in
Everlast - Chris Smith, Muhammad Ali, Ali, black and white, boxing, 66x46 in
By Chris Smith
Located in London, GB
Chris Smith (b.1937) Everlast silver gelatin fibre based print 30 x 20 in. / 48 x 34.5 in. / 66 x 46 in. signed and numbered printed later This work is available in the following si...
Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
$13,082
H 34.5 in W 48 in
Ali vs The Beatles - Chris Smith, black, white, muhammad ali, beatles, 34.5x48in
By Chris Smith
Located in London, GB
Chris Smith (b.1937) Ali Versus The Beatles 1964 silver gelatin fibre based print 20 x 30 in. / 34.5 x 48 in. / 46 x 66 in. / 50 x 92 in. signed and numbered printed later This work...
Photographic Paper, Silver Gelatin
"Untitled (Boys on Shoulders)", New York, NY, 1995
By Jose Picayo
Located in Hudson, NY
This photograph is printed on Japanese Paper. The price is for an unframed photograph. The Robin Rice Gallery is pleased to announce, 25 Years of Polaroids, a new exhibit by Jose ...
Photographic Paper
untitled (fashion photograph of two women)
By Philippe Halsman
Located in Fairlawn, OH
Unknown Portrait of Two Women Silver Gallatine print, c. 1950's Signed with the photographers stamp verso Appears to be a Life cover illustration, but I can find no documentation. Ex...
Silver Gelatin