Irving Penn Portraits

Marlene Dietrich
by Irving Penn, New York, 1948
National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; gift of Irving Penn
© 1950 (renewed 1978) Condé Nast Publications, Inc.

Irving Penn was one of the most distinguished photographers of our time. Focusing on his portraits of major cultural figures over the last seven decades, Irving Penn Portraits is a glorious celebration of his work in this genre.

The exhibition includes over 120 exquisite prints, many vintage, ranging from his earliest portraits for Vogue magazine in 1944 to the present day. The variety and significance of sitters in Penn’s photographs is extraordinary. Among those featured in the exhibition are Truman Capote, Christian Dior, Duke Ellington, Alfred Hitchcock, Al Pacino, Edith Piaf and Pablo Picasso.