Richard Avedon was a bigger-than-life photographer—and it was to his everlasting disappointment that for many of his 82 years, he wasn’t recognized as an artist but disdained by critics as a “commercial” fashion photographer.
In his absorbing new Avedon bio, Philip Gefter traces his subject’s insecurity back to his early days on the Upper West Side—with a father who didn’t love him and schoolmates who considered him a sissy because he preferred watching Fred Astaire films to playing ball.
Dick started out photographing servicemen’s ID badges in WW2–and from these workaday beginnings, and a photographic style resembling Hungarian photographer Martin Muncaksi’s, he built a portfolio that caught the attention of Alexi Brodovich and Carmel Snow at Harper’s Bazaar. Dick eventually became the magazine’s lead photographer and designer. He moved on to shoot all the greats—from Marilyn Monroe to Judy Garland to Lillian Hellman (the latter two for the Blackglama fur campaign.)
Ever see the famous portait of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, shedding a tear? Dick got their tears flowing when he told them his taxi had killed a dog on the way to the shoot. (A lie.)
How about Nastassja Kinski entwined with the snake? Dovima with the elephants? Brooke Shields and her Calvins? Yep those were by Avedon too.
Art directors whom I’ve worked with insist Avedon was tots heterosexual—but Gefter feels differently. He cites several instances where Dick had secret affairs with men (despite having been married twice)—which seems totally understandable at a time when reputation was everything and being gay felt worse than anything.
A superb book about a great, complex man—which argues that despite his penchant for shooting celebrity after celebrity against white seamless background, ultimately, he was fanatical about detail and concept—and made photography as much an art as August Sander and Irving Penn did. And for that, people who hold photography sacred (Aug and G raise shutter fingers) can be grateful.
For once, you review a book I've already read! Loved the Avedon biography. It was a tome but not a tomb of respectful worship. It showed all aspects of this tormented genius-not just his brilliance but also the less charming aspects of his character. It was a pleasure to read. I'm just finishing a book you recommended, "The Newcomer". A great read and one I wouldn't have known about without your review. Thanks, as always.