A while back, Richard Avedon had a confession to make. “I hate cameras,” said the man who revolutionized fashion and portrait photography. “If I could only work with my eyes alone!”
Yet Avedon’s photos seem to do just that — they remove the distance the camera lens creates to make you feel that you are right there beside his subjects.
Born in New York City in 1923, Avedon had a stern father, an artistic mother and a beautiful, but troubled, sister. At 18, he wanted to be a poet. And the slight, 5’7” dreamer didn’t lack confidence — or a sense of drama. “I know my drifting will not prove a loss / For mine is a rolling stone that has gathered moss,” he wrote in 1941.
A year later, Avedon joined the Merchant Marines, where he spent his World War II years shooting ID photos of new recruits. “I must have taken pictures of 100,000 faces before it occurred to me I was becoming a photographer,” he later recalled.
After demobilization in 1944, Avedon shot fashion pictures for the tony Manhattan department store Bonwit Teller and studied with Alexey Brodovitch, the legendary art director of Harper’s Bazaar. By 1945, his work was appearing in Junior Bazaar.
“His first photographs for us were technically very bad,” Brodovitch later recalled. “But they were not snapshots. . . . Those first pictures of his had freshness and individuality, and they showed enthusiasm and a willingness to take chances.”
Who else was willing to take chances? Brodovitch and Carmel Snow, editor in chief of Harper’s Bazaar, who soon sent the young talent to fashion’s sacred capital, Paris.
The postwar years were hard in Paris. When Avedon first arrived there, in 1946, it was with an explicit directive from Snow. “Dick was tasked with this idea that he was there to rebuild Paris,” explains Martin. In restoring the energy and excitement around Paris, Avedon imbued it with some of his own.
Avedon’s models jumped, twirled, leapt over puddles and they smiled. Like Avedon himself, they rarely stood still. While he wasn’t the first to use action in fashion photography (in the 1930s, Martin Munkacsi and Toni Frissell began creating fashion images of women engaged in sporty scenarios), Avedon was the first to pair such vitality with women wearing couture.
Character and spirit became la mode. Dovima’s graceful silhouette juxtaposed against the wrinkled heft of two shackled elephants. Dorian Leigh laughing and embracing a bicycle racer. Suzy Parker roller skating across the Place de la Concorde. Sunny Harnett and her cool gaze just daring the roulette table — and every man in the room — not to do her bidding. There was always a narrative in an Avedon mise en scène — whether the background was elaborately staged or stark, the model’s job had forever changed from posing, to acting.
Of course, Avedon did not limit himself to fashion photography. The little boy who once collected autographs grew up to create the most iconic portraits of the 20th century, many of these were included in an exhibition at Guild Hall Museum in East Hampton, New York, in 2017.
A 1958 New Yorker profile noted that even though Avedon’s portraits immortalized cultural elites such as Truman Capote, Elsa Maxwell and Charles Laughton, the qualities that most interested the photographer were “advanced age, physical debility, ugliness, or the pathos underlying the surface insouciance.” Yet “none of Avedon’s subjects seem to resent this kind of treatment . . . being selected to sit for one of his Harper’s Bazaar portraits ranks as an accolade.”
Over the next 40-plus years of his career, his iconic portraiture never lost its force; although at times, his unvarnished truth felt cruel.
But Avedon was a creator, not an observer, and he made no apologies for this. The sitter and the photographer “have separate ambitions for the image,” he wrote in 1985. “His need to plead his case probably goes as deep as my need to plead mine, but the control is with me.”
Find original Richard Avedon photography on 1stDibs.
Richard Avedon: Observations (1st Edition, Inscribed)
By Richard Avedon, Alexey Brodovitch
Located in New York, NY
First edition of this landmark photography book by Richard Avedon with text by Truman Capote, featuring portraits of cultural figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Brigitte Bardot, Alfred ...
Paper
Avedon/Baldwin: Nothing Personal (Signed by Richard Avedon)
By Richard Avedon, James Baldwin
Located in New York, NY
First edition of Richard Avedon’s provocative second book, a collaboration with the writer James Baldwin (a friend and former classmate) who provided the text accompanying Avedon’s i...
Paper
RICHARD AVEDON - CENTER FOR CREATIVE IMAGING
By Richard Avedon
Located in Portland, ME
Avedon, Richard. RICHARD AVEDON - CENTER FOR CREATIVE IMAGING. Poster, 1991. Signed in ink by Avedon. Captioned " Gordon Stevenson, drifter Interstate 90 Butte Montana...
Offset
Les années 1940 (Stephanie Seymour: La Passante du Siecle)
By Richard Avedon
Located in Houston, TX
Richard Avedon Les années 1940 (Stephanie Seymour: La Passante du Siecle), 1997 Gelatin silver print 15 1/2 x 19 in (39.4 x 48.3 cm) Edition of 4 JPHB 5683
Silver Gelatin
John Lennon Original Vintage Poster by Richard Avedon for Look magazine, 1967
By Richard Avedon
Located in Devon, GB
Beatles manager Brian Epstein commissioned Richard Avedon to photograph the band and design a set of posters that would visually capture the new psychedelic direction of 'Sgt. Pepper...
Linen, Paper
Elise Daniels, Turban by Paulette, Le Pré-Catalan, Paris
By Richard Avedon
Located in New York, NY
Signed by the photographer
Silver Gelatin
Elise Daniels, Turban by Paulette, Le Pré-Catelan, Paris
By Richard Avedon
Located in New York, NY
Signed by the photographer on the verso
Silver Gelatin
Price Upon Request
Marlene Dietrich, Turban by Dior, The Ritz, Paris, 1955
By Richard Avedon
Located in New York, NY
Signed by the photographer on the verso
Silver Gelatin
Twiggy, Hair by Ara Gallant, Paris Studio, January, 1968
By Richard Avedon
Located in New York, NY
Signed by the photographer
Silver Gelatin
Paco Rabanne – 1st Edition 1996
Located in CA, CA
First edition hard cover, published by Éditions Michel Lafon, 1996. Paco Rabanne, a feeling for research. An impressive monograph covering the daring and experimental work of desi...
Paper
$2,207
H 12.01 in W 9.45 in D 0.01 in
From The Personal Collection of Audrey Hepburn, Photo by Vincent Rossell, 1962
By Vincent Rossell
Located in Devon, GB
Audrey Hepburn on the set of 'Paris When it Sizzles,' Paris, 1962 by Vincent Rossell Vintage gelatin silver print Photographer's credit stamp, Au...
Other
$2,207
H 12 in W 9.5 in D 0.05 in
From the Personal collection of Audrey Hepburn, Photo by Vincent Rossell, 1962
By Vincent Rossell
Located in Devon, GB
Audrey Hepburn on the set of 'Paris When it Sizzles,' Paris, 1962 by Vincent Rossell Vintage gelatin silver print Photographer's credit stamp, Audrey Hepburn collection stamp and numerical notations verso From the Personal Collection of Audrey Hepburn...
Paper
"Alphaville" Original Japanese Movie Poster
Located in London, GB
Original Japanese movie poster for Jean-Luc Godard's 1965 French New Wave film starring Eddie Constantine, Anna Karina, Akim Tamiroff.
Jean Dubuffet , Cerceaux ‘Sorcellent Limited Edition, 1st 1967
By Jean Dubuffet
Located in CA, CA
Jean Dubuffet. Cerceaux ‘Sorcellent by Max Loreau. Edition Jeanne Bucher, Editions Beyeler, Paris, 1967. Limited edition of 800 of which this is no. 496. Contains 20 original colo...
Paper
$4,138
H 11.97 in W 9.45 in D 0.02 in
From the Personal Collection of Audrey Hepburn, Photo by Vincent Rossell, 1962
By Vincent Rossell
Located in Devon, GB
Audrey Hepburn on the set of 'Paris When It Sizzles' Vintage gelatin silver print by Vincent Rossell Photographer's credit stamp, Audrey Hepburn ...
Paper
$1,500Sale Price|50% Off
H 14 in W 11 in
Artist Jack Brusca, studio portrait, signed by Jack Mitchell
By Jack Mitchell
Located in Senoia, GA
11 x 14" vintage silver gelatin photograph of artist Jack Brusca, 1969. Signed by Jack Mitchell on the print verso. Comes directly from the Jack Mitchell Archives with a certificate...
Silver Gelatin
Rapids Below Vernal Fall, Yosemite, CA
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This vintage silver gelatin contact print is signed in pencil on the front of the mount, with Portfolio One stamp and numbering in red crayon on the back of the mount. This print com...
Silver Gelatin
Les Déjeuners - Picasso, 1st French edition, 1962
By Pablo Picasso
Located in CA, CA
Les Déjeuners - Picasso, 1st French edition, 1962 Published by Éditions Circle D’art Paris, 1962 A beautiful copy of Picasso’s seminal book Les Déjeuners complete with fine cloth s...
Paper
$950
H 10 in W 8 in D 0.07 in
DOUGLAS JULEFF Vintage 1950s Photograph of "Beefcake" model MAYNARD KEITH #2
Located in Glenford, NY
Rare early 1950s Original Vintage Gelatin Silver Photograph by DOUGLAS JULEFF - also known as DOUG OF DETROIT - of model MAYNARD KEITH. This is #2 of a series of 4 images of Maynard ...
Silver Gelatin
$875
H 10 in W 8 in D 0.07 in
DOUGLAS JULEFF Vintage 1950s Photograph of "Beefcake" model Unidentified #3
Located in Glenford, NY
Rare early 1950s Original Vintage Gelatin Silver Photograph by DOUGLAS JULEFF - also known as DOUG OF DETROIT - of an unidentified model (Unidentified #3). All of Juleff's records we...
Silver Gelatin
Fern Spring, Dusk, Yosemite
By Ansel Adams
Located in Pacific Grove, CA
This silver gelatin print with exemplary provenance is unsigned but bears several stamps from the artist's family on the back of the mount, including the authentication stamp of Adam...
Silver Gelatin
Portraits (Signed by Avedon)
By Richard Avedon
Located in New York, NY
First edition (stated) of this collection of portraits by fashion and portrait photographer nonpareil Richard Avedon. Published in 1976 by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. Introductory essay by Harold Rosenberg. 4to (12” x 9”) hard cover with printed dust jacket, unpaginated, black-and-white photos throughout, many full-page, including several pull-out. Subjects include Alberto Giacometti, Marcel Duchamp, Marianne Moore, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, J. Robert Oppenheimer, Ezra Pound, Marilyn Monroe, the Everly Brothers, Daughters of the American Revolution, Dwight David Eisenhower, Renata Adler, Willem de Kooning, John Martin, Alger Hiss, Herbert Marcuse, Truman Capote, Jean Genet, Alexey Brodovitch, Jasper Johns, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Andy Warhol and members of the factory (clothed and unclothed), Dr. Benjamin Spock, Edmund Wilson, The Chicago Seven, James Galanos, Rose Mary Woods...
Paper
John Lennon Original Vintage Poster by Richard Avedon, 1967
By Richard Avedon
Located in Devon, GB
Beatles manager Brian Epstein commissioned Richard Avedon to photograph the band and design a set of posters that would visually capture the new psychedelic direction of Sgt. Pepper''s Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour. Following the shoot at a penthouse in Thompson House, 200 Grey''s Inn Road, London on 11th August 1967, Avedon distorted four of the polarised images with Day-Glo overlays and symbolic attributes. The photographs were first published in the 9th January 1968 edition of the US magazine look, and the posters distributed simultaneously by Look magazine in the US, the Daily Express in the UK and Stern Magazine in Europe, together with a black and white banner poster of the band which became known as the Mount Rushmore...
Paper, Linen
Sold
H 27 in W 18.75 in D 0.1 in
'The Beatles' Complete Set of Five Promotional Posters by Richard Avedon, 1967
By Richard Avedon
Located in Devon, GB
Complete set of five promotional posters Measures: Portraits 27 x 18¾ in. (68.5 x 47.5 cm.) Banner 14½ x 40 in. (37 x 101.5 cm.) Printed in England by Waterlow & Sons Limited for ...
Paper
Sold
H 31.25 in W 22.5 in D 0.1 in
The Beatles Ringo Starr Original Vintage Poster by Richard Avedon, 1967
By Richard Avedon
Located in Devon, GB
Beatles manager Brian Epstein commissioned Richard Avedon to photograph the band and design a set of posters that would visually capture the new psychedelic direction of Sgt. Pepper'...
Paper
The Beatles, Richard Avedon
By Richard Avedon
Located in New York, NY
This portfolio of four individual offset lithographs in color are from the first printing dating to 1967. It is the age and condition that makes this such a rare find, each print me...
Lithograph, Offset
John Lennon Original Vintage Poster by Richard Avedon, 1967
By Richard Avedon
Located in Devon, GB
Beatles manager Brian Epstein commissioned Richard Avedon to photograph the band and design a set of posters that would visually capture the new psychedelic direction of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour. Following the shoot at a penthouse in Thompson House, 200 Gray's Inn Road, London on 11th August 1967, Avedon distorted four of the polarised images with day-glo overlays and symbolic attributes. The photographs were first published in the 9th January 1968 edition of the US magazine Look, and the posters distributed simultaneously by Look magazine in the US, the Daily Express in the UK and Stern Magazine in Europe, together with a black and white banner poster of the band which became known as the Mount Rushmore poster. With a pull out order form which described the four posters as Flame Bright John, Flower Power Paul, Mystic George and Dove Loving Ringo, fans could send away for the set for 30 shillings. The Stern set were also sold at news stands, rolled and wrapped in plastic. The posters have become seminal images of the late 1960s, transcending the world of music...
Paper
The Beatles, Richard Avedon
By Richard Avedon
Located in New York, NY
This portfolio of four individual offset lithographs in color are from the first printing dating to 1967. It is the age and condition that makes this such a rare find, each print me...
Lithograph, Offset
'The Beatles' Set of Four Original Posters by Richard Avedon, 1967
By Richard Avedon
Located in Devon, GB
Set of four original promotional posters Each 27 x 19 in. (69 x 48 cm.) Unfolded, not backed Printed in England by Waterlow & Sons Limited for Stern Magazine, Germany Beatles ...
Paper
Sold
H 39.63 in W 14.75 in L 39.63 in
The Beatles Original Vintage Banner Poster by Richard Avedon, 1967
By Richard Avedon
Located in Devon, GB
Beatles manager Brian Epstein commissioned Richard Avedon to photograph the band and design a set of posters that would visually capture the new psychedelic direction of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour. Following the shoot at a penthouse in Thompson House, 200 Gray's Inn Road, London on 11th August 1967, Avedon distorted four of the polarised images with day-glo overlays and symbolic attributes. The photographs were first published in the 9th January 1968 edition of the US magazine Look, and the posters distributed simultaneously by Look magazine in the US, the Daily Express in the UK and Stern Magazine in Europe, together with a black and white banner poster of the band which became known as the Mount Rushmore poster. A pull out order form (illustrated here for reference only) offered American fans this "Beatlebanner" for free when ordering the full set of four colour portrait posters at $5.95. The posters have become seminal images of the late 1960's, transcending the world of music memorabilia...
Paper
John Lennon Original Vintage Poster by Richard Avedon, 1967
By Richard Avedon
Located in Devon, GB
Beatles manager Brian Epstein commissioned Richard Avedon to photograph the band and design a set of posters that would visually capture the new psychedelic direction of Sgt. Pepper'...
Paper
George Harrison Original Vintage Poster by Richard Avedon, 1967
By Richard Avedon
Located in Devon, GB
Beatles manager Brian Epstein commissioned Richard Avedon to photograph the band and design a set of posters that would visually capture the new psychedelic direction of Sgt. Pepper'...
Paper
The Beatles, Richard Avedon
By Richard Avedon
Located in New York, NY
This portfolio of four individual offset lithographs in color are from the first printing dating to 1967. It is the age and condition that makes this such a rare find, each print me...
Lithograph, Offset