“The human factor always stands at the centre.”

—Francis Giacobetti

In this bold composition, beams of light cover the model’s body to give the appearance of zebra stripes, creating a sculptural form that evokes a modern take on a classic silhouette. Drawing inspiration from 20th century masters Irving Penn and Richard Avedon, self-taught photographer Francis Giacobetti (French, b.1939) led the artistic direction of Lui magazine, a French counterpart to Playboy, challenging the norms of pinup photography. During his unparalleled over 60-year career, Giacobetti also created collaborative portraits of British painter Francis Bacon, imagery for the Pirelli calendars in the early 1970s and a timeless series of work through his partnership with Japanese designer Issey Miyake, succeeding Irving Penn. From his strikingly elegant Zebra series, the present work is unique in this size and perfectly encapsulates the artist’s carefully composed aesthetic.