Horst: Photographer of Style
Exhibition – Horst: Photographer of Style
Victoria & Albert Museum, London
6 Sept 2014 – 4 January 2015
Not to be missed…
Horst: Photographer of Style is a rare opportunity to see the work of master photographer Horst P. Horst (1906-1999) – one of the leading photographers of the 20th century. During a career spanning 60-years, German-born Horst worked mainly in Paris and New York traversing the worlds of photography, art, fashion, design, theatre and high society.
On display…
250 iconic photographs with haute couture garments, magazines, film footage and ephemera.
Also catch…
Horst’s collaborations and friendships with leading couturiers such as Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli in Paris; stars including Marlene Dietrich and Noël Coward; and artists and designers such as Salvador Dalí and Jean-Michel Frank… and 90 timeless Vogue covers, nude studies, travel photographs and graphic patterns.
Inspiring and in-depth…
The creative process behind some of his most famous photographs, such as the Mainbocher Corset, will be revealed through the inclusion of original contact sheets, sketches and cameras. The many sources that influenced Horst – from ancient Classical art to Bauhaus ideals of modern design and Surrealism in 1930s Paris – will be explored.
Iconic portraiture…
Horst excelled at portraiture and in the 1930s he captured some of Hollywood’s brightest stars: Rita Hayworth, Bette Davis, Vivien Leigh, Noël Coward, Ginger Rogers, Marlene Dietrich and Joan Crawford, to name a few.
Much imitated…
Martin Roth, Director of the V&A comments “Horst’s legacy and influence, which has been seen in work by artists, designers and performers including Herb Ritts, Robert Mapplethorpe, Bruce Weber and Madonna, continues today.”
Many of us have stumbled across his work in art galleries…
Horst produced new, lavish prints in platinum-palladium for museums and the collector’s market, selecting emblematic works from every decade of his career, which will be showcased as the finale to the exhibition.

2. Horst directing fashion shoot with Lisa Fonssagrives 1949. Photo by Roy Stevens Time Life Pictures Getty Images
The V&A is open daily from 10.00 to 17.45 and until 22.00 on Fridays
Tickets £8 (concessions available).
Book: www.vam.ac.uk/horst or call 020 7420 9736 (booking fee applies)