His first works were still lives, but back then we could already perceive Penn's characteristic discipline and rigour. Those photos have no human protagonists, but we see in them the trace they left and are invited to "complete" the scene, reading between lines...

Beef Still Life, by Irving Penn (1943)

Chromogenic print - 2003 

Penn later focus his interest in the study of the face, the figure and the personality of his subjects. He was an observer of human expression and used a very particular technique, which created volume through the use of light. After WWII he was commissioned a series of portraits and to show the oppression of the post-war years, he placed the celebrities in a corner, as if trapped.

For Picasso's portrait, Penn had to overcome several obstacles: first, upon arrival to the artist's house, he wouldn't receive him. After insisting, Picasso appeared only for 10 minutes and wearing a hat that covered most of his head. Patiently Penn took the photos, even though one of the eyes was in shadows. 

Pablo Picasso at La Californie, Cannes, by Irving Penn (1957)

Platinum-palladium print, 1985

These portraits offer a great chance to know artists from the 20th century that usually remained invisible to the spectators. Penn wanted his photos to be as paintings, that's why he studied the works of Francisco Goya, Honoré Daumier and Henri Toulouse-Lautrec, paying special attention to the use of light and the focus of attention.

His photos were not taken for art exhibitions but for magazines, specially fashion ones, but the skill and dedication of his shots always caught the attention of the readers.

As all retrospectives organized by the MET, this one is extraordinary. The great quantity of photos and the explanatory signs leave visitors happy. This is a well-deserved tribute to an artist that worked for Vogue, but left a valuable heritage. Most of the photos are copies that, although of excellent quality, don't have the aura of the originals.