Horst – Photographer of Style
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley October 1, 2014
Author Ed: Susanna Brown
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ISBN: 9781851778010
Publisher: Bloomsbury Acad & Prof
Release Date:
Website: http://www.allenandunwin.com
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Exquisite simplicity is the underlying component of the works created by Horst P. Horst over more than 60 years as he photographed his way into history as the photographer of choice for Vogue Magazine, creating more than 40 covers for this iconic fashion magazine. Created to complement the Victoria and Albert Museum Exhibition of his works this wonderful collection should be considered as a celebration of the works of a Master in his field; that of design, creativity and art expressed through the medium of photography.
Born in Germany in 1906 and becoming the protégée of Baron George Hoyningen-Huene in 1930, with whom he also became a partner and where he undoubtedly learned his skill as photographer, as Huene was then famous and sought after for his classically inspired fashion images.
Horst moved about the photography world creating works that even in today’s world stand alone as masterpieces in the craft. His work is still considered inspirational and he is classed as one of the great masters of twentieth century photography.
Horst went on to develop his own style and became involved with Vogue during the 1930’s when Paris was then considered the fashion capitol of the world: a place where the wealthy shopped and indulged.
During his long career his work was rediscovered in the 1970’s and then again ’80’s not just for his fashion pieces but also for this wide ranging interests in still life, nude photography and travel shots, as his incredible talent with light and dark, gave his works a timeless freshness that transcends the years.
Over the many years he was influenced by the works of Dali along with others, became the favourite of the Royals and the famous, having photographed the likes of the Duke of Windsor, Princess Marina of Greece, Noel Coward, Steve McQueen, Marlene Dietrich and Joan Crawford amongst the many. His still life and nature works are incredibly detailed. All printed in black and white, the images are striking. His kaleidoscopic works are within themselves masterpieces in their time as the age of computer generation was not available.
His covers for Vogue are contained in a section of their own, as is each of his areas of photography, within this comprehensive collection of Horst’s works. The images are there without the adornment of the print which allows the gowns and models to stand alone, showing the detail of the couture garment and allowing the vibrancy of the era to come to life once again.
Each of the various sections is introduced with a bio of the background as to how he became involved with the various genres, in particular his journey into interior design photography both for Vogue and House and Garden magazine. There he captured the lifestyle of the wealthy, to what is now and was then considered as a lavish and privileged lifestyle, for all times as an era which while not past, as it is still to some degree prevalent in today’s world, has moved on.
His nude works are exquisite as they use black and white photography, with careful utilisation of light and dark, to sculpt the human form in fine and perfect detail. Not suggestive simply perfection in creation.
Created to complement the Victoria and Albert Museum Exhibition of his works this is and should be considered as a celebration of the works of a Master in his field; that of design, creativity and art expressed through the medium of photography.
This definitive collection not only details the work of this talented man, but also returns to a time when fashion, elegance, wealth, high society and extravagance were the order of the day; a time long gone.
Students of design, fashion, fine arts and photography should study these works as they epitomise creativity through exploration and inspiration. His work is as fresh today, more than an century after his birth, (1906-1999) as it was when he first commenced his career, which was to span his lifetime.