Irving Penn
Vlaminck by Erving Penn
1951
Gelatin silver print
33.5 × 31 cm
Documents
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Invoice or proof of purchase
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Certificate of authenticity
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Other documents
About the artwork
This gelatin silver print presents a seated portrait of the artist Maurice de Vlaminck, captured in 1951. The subject is depicted in a three-quarter view, looking directly towards the viewer with a composed expression. He wears a textured tweed jacket and a patterned scarf, with his left hand holding a dark object, possibly a pipe or pen, resting near his lapel. The composition utilizes a plain, subtly textured background, characteristic of the photographer's studio work, which serves to isolate the figure and draw attention to his features and attire. The lighting emphasizes the contours of the face and the fabric textures, creating a sense of depth and presence. The focus on the subject's gaze and the details of his clothing contribute to the overall character study presented in the image.
Expert opinion
This photographic portrait fits within a lineage of 20th-century portraiture that emphasizes psychological depth and formal clarity. The artist's distinctive studio aesthetic, characterized by neutral backgrounds and precise lighting, positions his work as a benchmark in modern photographic practice. The market for vintage prints by this photographer is well-established, with works frequently appearing in major auction sales and private collections.
About the artist
Irving Penn was one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century. He photographed famous cultural figures, including artists such as Jasper Johns, Pablo Picasso, Louise Bourgeois and Salvador Dalí, and elevated fashion photography to an art form through his work with Vogue, to which he contributed for over six decades. Penn was known for his spare compositional style, often photographing his subjects in the natural light of the studio; his images are marked by simplicity, sophistication and tonal subtleties. Penn photographed in both grayscale and color, and also experimented with nineteenth-century printing processes.
His work has been exhibited around the world and is included in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Tate, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Moderna Museet, among others. Penn also photographed shopkeepers, nudes and still lifes. Between 1948 and 1971, he took ethnographic photographs of the communities he met on his travels. His frames sold for up to six figures at auction.
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