Edward Steichen and Hollywood Glamour
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University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Art & Visual Studies Art & Visual Studies 2014 Edward Steichen and Hollywood Glamour Alisa Reynolds University of Kentucky, [email protected] Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Reynolds, Alisa, "Edward Steichen and Hollywood Glamour" (2014). Theses and Dissertations--Art & Visual Studies. 9. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/art_etds/9 This Master's Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Art & Visual Studies at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Art & Visual Studies by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. 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Alisa Reynolds, Student Dr. Robert Jensen, Major Professor Professor Doreen Maloney, Director of Graduate Studies EDWARD STEICHEN AND HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR THESIS A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of the Arts in Art History and Visual Studies in the School of Art and Visual Studies at the University of Kentucky By Alisa Lauren Reynolds Lexington, Kentucky Chair: Dr. Robert Jensen, Professor of Art History and Visual Studies Lexington, Kentucky 2014 Copyright © Alisa Reynolds 2014 ABSTRACT OF THESIS EDWARD STEICHEN AND HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR As a word, glamour is hard to define, but is instantly recognizable. Its association with Hollywood movie stars fully emerged in the 1930s in the close-up celebrity portraits by photographers like George Hurrell. The aesthetic properties in these images that help create glamour are characterized by the Modernist style, known for sharp focus, high contrast, seductive poses, and the close-up (tight framing). My essay will explore the origins of the visual aesthetics of glamour, arguing that their roots can be found in the still life photographs of the 1910s, produced by fine art photographers such as Edward Steichen. This essay will primarily focus on the photography of Edward Steichen because he used these same techniques found in his still life portraits on Hollywood celebrities when he began working for Condé Nast’s Vanity Fair and Vogue in 1923. Steichen changed the conversation on how to photograph celebrities and his practices eventually led to the creation of glamour portrait photography. This thesis documents the ways in which Steichen established the precedent for glamour photography when he applied the close-up and Modernist style on Hollywood stars. The result of Steichen’s application was photography that provided visually identifiable and mechanically reproducible glamour. KEYWORDS: Edward Steichen, Vanity Fair, Hollywood Glamour Portrait, Still Life Photography, Close-Up Alisa Reynolds December 19, 2014 EDWARD STEICHEN AND HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR By Alisa Reynolds Dr. Robert Jensen Director of Thesis Doreen L. Maloney Director of Graduate Studies December 19, 2014 Date ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The following thesis has greatly benefitted from the guidance and support of many people throughout my graduate career. I would first like to thank my Thesis Director, Dr. Robert Jensen. It was upon his suggestion that I examine the close-up in still life photography during a seminar, and he was the one who showed me the Gloria Swanson photograph by Steichen. I am thankful to him for his encouragement during the long process of research and writing. Without his continual guidance, support, and assistance, my thesis would not be what it is today. I would like to thank Dr. Anna Brzyski for her help on this paper, as well as for her help throughout my graduate career. Dr. Brzyski served as my go-to person when I wanted to discuss different ideas relating to visual studies and my thesis. Her guidance encouraged and helped form my interest in visual studies. Like Dr. Jensen, she helped me grow as a researcher and writer. I would also like to thank Dr. Jeffery Peters for his help in my research and writing on 20th century cinema. His suggestion on books, articles, and films to look at it and think about helped me so much throughout the process. I am thankful to my whole committee for not only being a part of it, but for their feedback, words of encouragement and criticism, and faith in me. Their encouragement throughout the process and at my Thesis Defense meant a great deal to me and has made me want to continue researching this topic. In addition to my committee members, I would like to acknowledge the assistance or support given to me by others. Specifically, Barbara Lovejoy at the University of Kentucky Art Museum. She has helped me grow as a person and researcher, and provided both humor and comfort when I was overwhelmed or iii stressed throughout the writing process. I would like to thank Dr. Jane Peters for initially meeting with me when I was looking at graduate schools. She was the reason I felt like the program was a good fit for me. I would also like to thank Daniel Naas at the Little Library for helping me get access to the Vanity Fair and Vogue archives. Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends for all of the love and support they have given me throughout my graduate career. My father, William Reynolds, encouraged me to pursue a degree in art history during my freshman year of college, and I would not be here without him. To my classmates and friends, especially Liz Curran and Erin McDonald, thank you for listening to me and supporting me, as well as the multiple peer reviews. I want to specifically Ashlee Chilton for being my library partner over the course of this past summer. I am so grateful for every person who supported me throughout the process and I thank you all for your time, love, encouragement, and energy to help me complete my thesis. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………………………………..iii List of Figures…..........................................................................................................................................vi Section One: Introduction.…………………………………………………………………………………….1 Section Two: Steichen at Condé Nast Publications……………………………………………….11 Section Three: The Photographic Close-Up in Still Lifes………………………………………..23 Section Four: The Cinematic Close-Up…………………………………………………………………34 Section Five: The Hollywood Portrait Pre-Steichen…………………………….........................40 Section Six: The Hollywood Portrait Post-Steichen………………………………………………45 Section Seven: Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………..56 Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………………………………59 Vita……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………62 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1.1. Gloria Swanson. Edward Steichen. Vanity Fair. February 1928. Photographed in 1924. Condé Nast Archives……………………………………………………….10 Figure 2.1. Gaby Deslys. Talbot. Vanity Fair. 1913.……………………………………………….20 Figure 2.2. “La Rose.” Edward Steichen. 1901.……………………………………………………..20 Figure 2.3. Marlene Dietrich. Edward Steichen. Vanity Fair. June 1935…………….……20 Figure 2.4. “Charlie Chaplin Was His Derby.” Picture-Play. November 1925…………..21 Figure 2.5. Charlie Chaplin. Edward Steichen. 1925……………………………………………..21 Figure 2.6. Mary Pickford. Ira L. Hill. Vanity Fair. October 1915……………………………22 Figure 2.7. Mary Pickford. Arnold Genthe. Vanity Fair. November 1921………………..22 Figure 2.8. Mary Pickford. Edward Steichen. Vanity Fair. August 1925………………….22 Figure 3.1. “Abstraction, Bowls.” Paul Strand. 1915……………………………………………..32 Figure 3.2. “Spiral.” Edward Steichen. 1921…………………………………………………………32 Figure 3.3. “Agave Design.” Imogen Cunningham. 1920s………………………………………32 Figure 3.4. “Pepper No. 30.” Edward Weston. 1930……………………………………………...32 Figure 3.5. “Pears and Apples, France.” Edward Steichen. 1919……………………………33 Figure 3.6. “Calla Lilly.” Edward Steichen. 1921…………………………………………………...33 Figure 3.7. Elissa Landi. Edward Steichen. Vanity Fair. 1933………………………………...33 Figure 4.1. Still from The Great Train Robbery. Edison Studios. 1903…………………….39 Figure 4.2. Still from The Mothering Heart. Biograph Studios. 1913………………………39 Figure 5.1. Ramon Novarro as Ben-Hur. Ruth Harriet Louise. MGM Studios. 1925…44 Figure 5.2. John Barrymore as Hamlet. Edward Steichen. 1922…………………………….44 Figure 5.3. Greta Garbo for The Torrent. Ruth Harriet Louise. MGM Studios. 1925…44 vi Figure 6.1. Greta Garbo. Edward Steichen. Vanity Fair. October 1929……………………53 Figure 6.2. Greta Garbo. Arnold Genthe. Vanity Fair. November 1925…………………...53 Figure 6.3. Still from Queen Christina. MGM Studios. 1933……………………………………53 Figure 6.4. Movie poster from Queen Christina. MGM. 1933………………………………….54 Figure 6.5. “They Were All Born of Show Folks.” Vanity Fair. January 1929…………..54 Figure 6.6. George Gershwin. Edward Steichen. Vanity Fair. January 1929……………54 Figure 6.7.