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Sunny Harnett, evening dress by Gres, American 'Harper's Bazaar', September 1954

Photograph
September 1954 (photographed), 1978 (printed)
Artist/Maker
Avedon, Richard (photographer)
Place of origin
United States (photographed)

Photograph

Object details

Categories
Photographs
Fashion
Object type
Photograph
TitleSunny Harnett, evening dress by Gres, American 'Harper's Bazaar', September 1954 (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Gelatin-silver print
Photography
Brief description
'Sunny Harnett, evening dress by Gres, American 'Harper's Bazaar', September 1954', Richard Avedon, print made 1978
Physical description
Photograph
Dimensions
  • Height: 45.2cm
  • Width: 35.6cm
Credit line
Copyright Richard Avedon, courtesy Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco
Object history
Richard Avedon has transformed fashion photography and portraiture alike, creating an instantly identifiable aesthetic which has influenced countless others. His ‘signature’ large format studio portraits of politicians, writers and artists render the sitters "symbolic of themselves", as he put it. His use of stark white backgrounds and life-size printing places viewers in a new relationship to the photographic image - a physical and almost confrontational one. His ability to create visual tension and surprise through unexpected contrasts is unparalleled.
Subjects depicted
Roulette Wheels
Gambling Casinos
Women
Men
Evening Dresses
Tuxedoes
Bibliographic reference
Claire Wilcox, ed. The Golden Age of Couture. Paris and London 1947 - 1957 London:V&A Publications, 2007. 224p. ISBN: 9781851775200 (hbk); 9781851775217 (pbk).
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
PH.17-1985

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Record createdJuly 28, 2003
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O82824/sunny-harnett-evening-dress-by-photograph-avedon-richard/
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