IRVING PENN, ICONIC IMAGE-MAKER

October 7th, 2009

Irving Penn, the man who through his photographs single-handedly witnessed and captured the development of the modern woman, died today at the age of 92. His photographic career, which has spanned over six decades and has reached the public through magazine editorials as well as through museum and gallery exhibitions, is incomparable in the world of art and fashion photography. Penn has lived to capture portraits of iconic figures in popular culture and history, and many of his images stand out as singular representations of those individuals.

The New York Times says it best in their obituary by describing his “signature blend of classical elegance and cool minimalism” as possessing a uniquely modern “compositional clarity.” His images, like the one below published just a few months ago, continued late in his career to remain both timeless and poignant, even in the face of great technological advances in the field of photography. If there has been one artist to whom photographers look up to for inspiration over the past decades, Irving Penn is that man.

Irving Penn for US Vogue, August 2009