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Irving Penn
American • 1917-2009
Biography
Irving Penn was one of the 20th century’s most significant photographers, known for his arresting images, technical mastery, and quiet intensity. Though he gained widespread acclaim as a leading Vogue photographer for over sixty years, Penn remained a private figure devoted to his craft. Trained under legendary art director Alexey Brodovitch in Philadelphia, he began his career assisting at Harper’s Bazaar before joining Vogue in 1943, where editor and artist Alexander Liberman recognized Penn’s distinctive eye and encouraged him to pursue photography. Penn’s incomparably elegant fashion studies reset the standard for the magazine world, and his portraits, still lifes, and nude studies broke new ground. His 1960 book Moments Preserved redefined the photographic monograph with its dynamic layout and high-quality reproductions. In 1964, Penn began printing in platinum and palladium, reviving this 19th-century process to serve his own distinct vision. An innovator in every sense, Penn’s approach to photography was endlessly adventurous. Few photographers of his generation experimented as widely with both conventional and historic print processes, and none achieved Penn’s level of excellence in all.
Insights
Irving Penn began shooting for Vogue in the mid-1940s and shot over 150 covers for the magazine over the course of his career.
Penn was a master of both modern and contemporary photographic techniques, using a variety of cameras and printing technologies to create his impeccable works.
Penn's 1972 Cigarette series was his first series where all of the prints were platinum palladium.
"I can get obsessed by anything if I look at it long enough. That's the curse of being a photographer."