“Taking people away from their natural circumstances and putting them into the studio in front of a camera did not simply isolate them, it transformed them. Sometimes the change was subtle; sometimes it was great enough to be almost shocking. But always there was transformation.” –Irving Penn, Worlds in a Small Room, 1974
“Small Trades holds profound importance for Mr. Penn, and our acquisition of this complete set of masterful prints allows us to fulfill his desire of keeping it intact while expanding our highly significant holdings of 20th-century portrait photography. By displaying the entire group of works in this exhibition we are able to provide our public with an unprecedented opportunity to experience the full breadth and impact of Mr. Penn’s artistic vision.” - Michael Brand (J. Paul Getty Museum Director)
Irving Penn: Small Trades
September 9, 2009–January 10, 2010
Working in Paris, London, and New York in the early 1950s, photographer Irving Penn (American, born 1917) created masterful representations of skilled tradespeople dressed in work clothes and carrying the tools of their trade. A neutral backdrop and natural light provided a stage on which his subjects could present themselves with dignity and pride. Penn revisited his Small Trades series over many decades, producing evermore-exacting prints, including platinum enlargements. In 2008 the Getty acquired the most comprehensive group of these images, carefully selected by the photographer—155 gelatin silver prints and 97 platinum prints—which will be exhibited in their entirety for the first time.
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