French photographer and filmmaker Sarah Moon is known for dreamlike images that resemble moments of reverie frozen in time.
Born in France in 1941 to a Franco-American father and French mother, Moon was raised in England, where she moved at age 10. Before taking up photography, Moon began her professional life as a model, posing for such eminent fashion photographers as Guy Bourdin, and first picked up a camera in 1968. She began shooting pictures of her friends, models like herself, as a hobby but soon began a career on the other side of the lens.
Completely self-taught, she displayed a distinctly personal perspective, and her first fashion campaigns, starting in the late 1960s for Biba and then Cacharel, soon acquired cult status. Her images were soft-focus and enigmatic, inspired by the aesthetics of 1920s filmmakers like the Soviet Sergei Eisenstein and Germans G.W. Pabst, Carl Theodor Dreyer and F.W. Murnau.
In these compositions, she wanted the women to convey both strength and fragility. She was aiming to create “something that could distance me from the coded language of glamour,” she once told her friend, the painter Ilona Suschitzky. “I was looking for something more intimate. It was the backstage that interested me — the in-between second before the gesture was complete.”
Timeless, sensual and elusive, Moon’s depictions of femininity strongly contrasted with the sharp, glossy, erotic fashion photography of the time, produced in an industry dominated by men. Her first campaigns were quickly followed by ads for Dior, Chanel, Comme des Garçons, Christian Lacroix, Issey Miyake and Yohji Yamamoto, as well as by editorials in Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, Marie-Claire and Life. She also defied stereotypes in 1972 as the first woman to shoot the Pirelli calendar, which was conceived in the 1960s as sexy, high-gloss promotional material for the Italian tire company but soon became an art object, shot by some of the world’s most prominent fashion photographers.
In 1985, she decided to focus on personal projects, producing images with the same grace, poetry and sense of transience as her fashion ones. Depicting still lifes, plants or animals (from peacocks to pachyderms), the mysterious photos were shot in both black and white and color. Blurring, unusual cropping, scratches and distortions give them an almost painterly aspect, especially those taken using Polaroid positive/negative film.
A 2018 project, “Time at Work,” is a series of small-format images and a short film that embody the concept of transience. Like all her work, the "Time at Work" series reflects Moon’s fascination with the passing of time.
The soft-spoken photographer often quotes this line by T.S. Eliot: “Time past and time future, what might have been and what has been, point to one end, which is always present.” Eliot never saw her work, but he captures it exactly. As Moon herself has said, “I don’t believe I can say it any better.”
Find original Sarah Moon photography on 1stDibs.
L'été (The Summer), 1989
By Sarah Moon
Located in Santa Monica, CA
L'été (The Summer), 1989 Signed, title, dated, numbered on verso Gelatin Silver Print Paper Dimensions: 11 x 14 inches Edition 5 of 20
Silver Gelatin
Price Upon Request
La Ralentie
By Sarah Moon
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Signed and editioned Edition of 15
Silver Gelatin
Price Upon Request
Falling
By Sarah Moon
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Signed and editioned Edition of 20
Silver Gelatin
Price Upon Request
Chanel
By Sarah Moon
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Signed and editioned Edition of 15
Silver Gelatin
$4,600
H 14 in W 11 in D 0.07 in
Girl with Flag - Black and White Photograph, Black Artist, Child, Portrait
By Earlie Hudnall Jr.
Located in Denton, TX
Girl with Flag by Earlie Hudnall, Jr., presents a portrait of a young African American girl holding a small American flag. She is dressed in white, and looking over her shoulder. She stares into the distance with a blank, almost melancholy look on her face. Signed, titled, and dated by Earlie Hudnall, Jr in pencil on print verso. Gelatin silver print, 11 x 14 in. *Images and video show photograph in size 20 x 16 in. Frame not included Earlie Hudnall, who is one of the most notable African American photographers...
Silver Gelatin
$875
H 10 in W 8 in D 0.07 in
DOUGLAS JULEFF Vintage 1950s Photograph of "Beefcake" model Unidentified #2
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 #2). All of Juleff's records we...
Silver Gelatin
$3,200
H 20 in W 16 in
Alice Cooper Family Silver Gelatin Print, O'Neill Estate Signature Stamped ED.50
By Terry O'Neill
Located in New York, NY
Alice Cooper, Los Angeles, 1974, Printed Later Silver gelatin print estate stamped and numbered edition of 50 with certificate of authenticity Terry O'Neill, Alice Cooper with his...
Silver Gelatin
$18,000
H 8 in W 10 in
Andy Warhol, Photograph of Barbara Allen and an Unidentified Man, circa 1978
By Andy Warhol
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This is a unique photographic work of Barbara Allen with an unidentified man taken by Andy Warhol. 1977's "Girl of the Year," Barbara Allen de Kwiatkowsk...
Silver Gelatin
Grace Jones and Andre Leon Talley at Studio 54
By Andy Warhol
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This is a unique photographic work taken by Andy Warhol. Grace Jones is a musician and former model. A former star of the Studio 54 disco scene, she is known for her androgynous appearance, bold features, and subversive antics, making her one of the biggest pop stars of the 1980s. Andre Leon Talley...
Silver Gelatin
$16,500
H 72 in W 48 in
Brigitte Bardot, Les Petroleuses, 1971 Terry O'Neill Estate Limited Edition
By Terry O'Neill
Located in New York, NY
Brigitte Bardot, Les Petroleuses 1971 Silver gelatin print edition of 50 72 x 48 inches Estate signature stamped and numbered edition of 50 Brigitte Bardot on the set of the film ‘...
Silver Gelatin
$20,000
H 10 in W 2 in
Andy Warhol, Photo Booth Strip of Sandy Brant, circa 1967-1970
By Andy Warhol
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This is a unique work created under the direction of Andy Warhol. In the early days, before he toted around a camera, he would have clients portraits taken at local photo booths. Image dimensions: 10 x 2 in Framed dimensions: 15 3/8 x 8 1/4 in Stamped twice on the reverse by both The Estate of Andy Warhol and The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts inventory number written on verso. Work comes with a Certificate of Authenticity from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Provenance: Estate of the Artist to The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts to current owner. Exhibition history -Fotografiska Berlin / Andy Warhol “After the Party...
Silver Gelatin
Photograph of Stephen Sprouse seated
By Andy Warhol
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This is a unique photographic work taken by Andy Warhol. Stephen Sprouse was a fashion designer who pioneered a New York "punk couture" aesthetic. He is credited with influencing the transition of the SoHo district of Manhattan in the 1980s from a seedy, crime-ridden neighborhood into the center of taste it is today. This photograph is published in: America Andy...
Silver Gelatin
Dennis Hopper and Gerry Rothberg
By Andy Warhol
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This is a unique photographic work taken by Andy Warhol. Dennis Hopper was an actor and artist, notable for his roles in classic American films such as Easy Rider, Apocalypse Now, a...
Silver Gelatin
Liza Minnelli, Halston and Martha Graham
By Andy Warhol
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This is a unique photographic work taken by Andy Warhol. The daughter of Judy Garland and Vincente Minnelli, Liza Minnelli became a successful actress and singer, winning an Academy...
Silver Gelatin
Timothy Hutton
By Andy Warhol
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This is a unique photographic work taken by Andy Warhol of a young Timothy Hutton. Image dimensions: 10 x 8 in. Framed dimensions: 18.5 x 16 in. Work is framed to archival standard...
Silver Gelatin
Tina Turner
By Andy Warhol
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This is a unique photographic work of Tina Turner taken by Andy Warhol. Image dimensions: 10 x 8 in. Framed dimensions: 18.125 x 16.625 in. Work is framed to archival standards by ...
Silver Gelatin
Codie
By Sarah Moon
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Signed and editioned Edition of 20
Silver Gelatin
Les Roses
By Sarah Moon
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Signed and editioned Edition of 15
Photographic Paper
Fashion 10 (N.Y. Times)
By Sarah Moon
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Signed and editioned Edition of 15
Photographic Paper
Fashion 5, Jean Paul Gaultier
By Sarah Moon
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Sarah Moon (France, born 1941) Fashion 5, Jean Paul Gaultier, 1998 Fresson Print Image Dimensions: 17 x 22 inches Paper Dimensions: 22 x 29 inches Edition 1...
La robe rouge
By Sarah Moon
Located in Santa Monica, CA
Sarah Moon (France, born 1941) La robe rouge, 2010 Fresson Print Paper 29 x 22 inches; Image 22 1/4 x 17 inches Edition 8 of 15 Signed, titled, & numbered i...
Sold
H 45 in W 60 in
Sarah Moon Portfolio, printed and bound, 10 Gelatin Silver Prints
By Sarah Moon
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Sarah Moon Portfolio printed and bound by CameraWork, 1999 10 gelatin silver print works, printed and bound into a book. Comes in a protective traveling case. The overall wall size composition of the entire portfolio is 45 in H x 60 in W Each individual Image size: 14.75 in. H x 11.75 in. W Individual sheet size: 19.38 in. H x 14.63 in. W Box size: 21.25 in. H x 16.25 in. W x 2 in. D Protective traveling case size: 23.5 in. H x 18.5 in. W x 3.5 in. D All works are signed, titled and dated on verso in pencil 1. Yael Raich 2. Sans Titre 3. S.R 4. Nevermind 5. Collines 6. Tullamore 7. Sasha Robertson 8. Vué de dos 9. Le collier 10. Roses _____________________________________________ Sarah Moon is a French fashion photographer who rose to prominence in London during the 1970s. Characterized by her painterly, ethereal aesthetic, Moon’s photographs...
Archival Pigment, Silver Gelatin, Black and White
Collines, 1994
By Sarah Moon
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Collines, 1994 by Sarah Moon Gelatin Silver Print Unframed Image size: 9.75 in. H x 12 in. W Sheet size: 19.5 in. H x 15.5 in. W Signed, titled and dated on verso in pencil _______________________________________ Sarah Moon is a French fashion photographer who rose to prominence in London during the 1970s. Characterized by her painterly, ethereal aesthetic, Moon’s photographs are often saturated with jewel tones and feature romantic, magical imagery. “For me, photography is pure fiction,” she has said. “I don't believe that I am making any defined statement. Instead, I am expressing something, an echo of the world maybe.” She was born Marielle Warin on November 17, 1939 in Vichy, France and she and her Jewish family fled occupied France for England when she was still a teenager. Moon began modelling in Paris and London under the name Marielle Hadengue, and in 1970, she took up photography in earnest, adopting the moniker Sarah Moon. She worked extensively with Barbara Hulanicki of the London clothing brand Biba, and later the French label Cacharel. She has also produced photographs for Vogue magazine, Comme des Garçons...
Silver Gelatin, Black and White
Roses, Framed Gelatin Silver Print, 1997
By Sarah Moon
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Roses, 1997 by Sarah Moon Gelatin Silver Print Image size: 14.75 in. H x 11.75 in. W Sheet size: 19.5 in. H x 15.5 in. W Signed, titled, and dated on verso in pencil __________________________________________ Sarah Moon is a French fashion photographer who rose to prominence in London during the 1970s. Characterized by her painterly, ethereal aesthetic, Moon’s photographs are often saturated with jewel tones and feature romantic, magical imagery. “For me, photography is pure fiction,” she has said. “I don't believe that I am making any defined statement. Instead, I am expressing something, an echo of the world maybe.” She was born Marielle Warin on November 17, 1939, in Vichy, France, and she and her Jewish family fled occupied France for England when she was still a teenager. Moon began modeling in Paris and London under the name Marielle Hadengue, and in 1970, she took up photography in earnest, adopting the moniker Sarah Moon. She worked extensively with Barbara Hulanicki of the London clothing brand Biba, and later the French label Cacharel. She has also produced photographs for Vogue magazine, Comme des Garçons...
Silver Gelatin, Black and White, Archival Pigment
Nevermind, Gelatin Silver Print, 1989
By Sarah Moon
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Nevermind, 1989 by Sarah Moon Gelatin Silver Print Image size: 14.75 in. H x 11.75 in. W Sheet size: 19.5 in. H x 15.5 in. W Signed, titled, and dated on verso in pencil Whitewood framed- plexiglass 31 in. H x 23 in. W x 2 in D. ________________________________________ Sarah Moon is a French fashion photographer who rose to prominence in London during the 1970s. Characterized by her painterly, ethereal aesthetic, Moon’s photographs...
Silver Gelatin, Black and White, Archival Pigment
Tullamore, 1988
By Sarah Moon
Located in Miami Beach, FL
Tullamore, 1988 by Sarah Moon Gelatin Silver Print Unframed Image size: 11.75 in. H x 14.75 in. W Sheet size: 19.5 in. H x 15.5 in. W Signed, titled, and dated on verso in pencil ____________________________________________ Sarah Moon is a French fashion photographer who rose to prominence in London during the 1970s. Characterized by her painterly, ethereal aesthetic, Moon’s photographs are often saturated with jewel tones and feature romantic, magical imagery. “For me, photography is pure fiction,” she has said. “I don't believe that I am making any defined statement. Instead, I am expressing something, an echo of the world maybe.” She was born Marielle Warin on November 17, 1939 in Vichy, France and she and her Jewish family fled occupied France for England when she was still a teenager. Moon began modelling in Paris and London under the name Marielle Hadengue, and in 1970, she took up photography in earnest, adopting the moniker Sarah Moon. She worked extensively with Barbara Hulanicki of the London clothing brand Biba, and later the French label Cacharel. She has also produced photographs for Vogue magazine, Comme des Garçons...
Silver Gelatin, Black and White, Archival Pigment