Irving Penn at work in New Guinea,1970. Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn (Over-Leaf)

BIOGRAPHY

Irving Penn was born on June 6 1917, in Plainfield New Jersey, from immigrant parents. He grew up attending public schools, and which in his college career he attended Philadelphia Museum School of Industrial Arts from 1934–1938 in his pursuit to be an art director. Penn was very fortunate work with many people such as Alexey Brodovitch, and Alexander Lieberman. Alexey Brodovitch taught Penn everything he needs to know about design and advertising. He also took Penn as a art apprentice at the Harpar’s Bazaar. Later after Penn decided to travel for a bit and returning back to NYC where he met Alexander Lieberman who was the main art director for Vogue Magazine in 1943. Lieberman made Penn in charge for the layouts and ideas for the covers of the magazine, which he was also given the opportunity to travel around the world again to take photos for Vogue magazine in the 1950s–1970s. Irving Penn became one of the greatest American Photographers during the Twentieth Century because he was very well known for his artistic images, which

Irving Penn in his studio at 80 West 40th Street, ca. 1954. Robert Freson Iving Penn became one of the greatest American Photographers during the 20th century

had great compositions, value, contrast, and emotion. However Irving Penn loved to do things with his hands he also became known for his mastery of print making techniques such as the silver gelatin, platinum- palladium, and the dye transfer printing process. This is where he learns to develop his photos with an artists touch. Penn had a very strong passion for his work, that he lived a very quite and private life. However he worked with many great people, owned his own studio, and married a beautiful and wonderful woman by the name of Lisa Birgitta Bernstone or better known as Lisa Fonssagrives. His career as one of the top photographers of Vogue was for approximately sixty years strong, and until this day people still know his work, and really respect and appreciate what he has done and that’s to bring back the art processes into photography. He has influenced many people and photographers around the world, and goes into history as one of the greats, and as a legend in photography.

Photographer Irving Penn with his wife, Lisa Fonssagrives 1951 Horst P. Horst

Black and White Vogue Cover (Jean Patchett), New York, 1950 Jean Patchett (B), Lima, 1948 Gelatin silver print Gelatin silver print Harlequin Dress (Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn), New York, 1950 Woman in Moroccan Palace (Lisa Fonssagrives-Penn), 1951 Gelatin silver print Gelatin silver print Issey Miyake Seaweed Dress, New York, 1987 Issey Miyake, New York, 1988 Platinum-palladium print Gelatin silver print Black Eye Specialist, The Bowery, New York, 1939 Impaled Moth, Mexico, 1942 Gelatin silver print Gelatin silver print Kirsty Hume, New York, 1996 Nude Torso, Soaping, New York, 1978 Platinum-palladium print Platinum-palladium print Pablo Picasso at La Californie, Cannes, 1957 Robin Williams, New York, 1998 Platinum-palladium print Gelatin silver print Télégraphiste, , 1950 [Telegraph Messenger] Pompier, Paris, 1950 [Fireman] Platinum-palladium print Gelatin silver print After-Dinner Games, New York, 1947 Ranunculus ‘Picotee’, New York, 2006 Dye transfer print Inkjet print White Face with Color Smears, New York, 1986 Gold and Silver Make-Up (B), New York, 1985 Inkjet print Dye transfer print Lily Cole , Vogue, Cover, May 1952 Irving Penn Irving Penn Red-Lacquered Lid, New York, 1994 Mascara Wars, New York, 2001 Silver dye bleach print Chromogenic print Young Berber Shepherdess (B), Morocco, 1971 Moroccan Fantasia, 1951 Silver dye bleach print Dye transfer print Comet, 2006 Three Mermaid Sisters of the North, 1992 Watercolor on paper mounted on aluminum Platinum print (from original ink drawing) with watercolor and dry pigment on paper mounted on aluminum Sponsors

MOMA

VOGUE Magazine

Highsnobiety

Fashion Institute and Technology

Thank you, to our sponsors and viewers for the opportunity on making this such a successful event.

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Please Visit: moma.org/irvingpenn The gallery will be open 7 days a week July 7 - 18, 2025 MoMa Address: 11 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019

Jean Patchett, (Vogue) New York 1950 Irving penn (Next page)