Irving Penn
1950 (negative), 1984 (print)
Gelatin silver print on paper, selenium toned.
Image: 16 5/8 x 15 7/16 inches (42.3 x 39.2 cm); Sheet: 19 15/16 x 15 15/16 inches (50.6 x 40.5 cm)
Gift of Irving Penn, 2006.
2007.62
Provenance:
Irving Penn.
Inscription:
Verso: signed and stamped in black ink, center right [encircled]: Irving Penn / IRVING PENN; inscribed in graphite, upper left: 2; inscribed in graphite, upper right: L.B.; stamped and inscribed in black ink, upper left: REF. 8798; inscribed in black ink and graphite, upper center [in rectangular border]: T.S. ELIOT (A) / LONDON, 1950; stamped and inscribed in black ink, center left: PHOTOGRAPH BY IRVING PENN / COPYRIGHT © 1960 by Irving Penn, COURTESY OF VOGUE / Not to be reproduced without / written permission of the / copyright owner and / THE CONDE NAST PUBLICATIONS INC.; inscribed in black ink, center left: Print made 1984. / I.P.; stamped and inscribed in black ink, center right: SIGNED, SILVER PRINTS OF / THIS NEGATIVE NOT EXCEEDING 28.; stamped in black ink, center right: TONED IN SELENIUM.
Notes:
Edition of 28. The artist identifies this as version A among his portraits of T.S. Eliot With the extreme simplicity of its background, this portrait is characteristic of the spare, exacting compositions with which Penn established new standards for modern portrait photography. His pose, as he is seated with his arms behind his back, suggests almost painful concealment and is indicative of the reserve and formality of Eliot's "buttoned-up" public image. This portrait is one of sixty-seven photographs by Irving Penn acquired by the Morgan in 2007.
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