With a career spanning six decades, Horst P. Horst captured some of the most iconic images of the 20th century.
Born in Germany in 1906, Horst moved to Paris in the early 1930s, immersing himself in the vibrant worlds of art, design, and fashion. A master of both black-and-white and color photography, his work is celebrated for its elegance, sophistication, and distinctive style.
Horst's photographs are renowned for their meticulous composition, dramatic lighting, and classical poses, often drawing inspiration from ancient Greek sculpture and Surrealist art. He possessed a rare ability to blend modernism with classical aesthetics, creating images that were both contemporary and timeless.
Throughout his remarkable career, Horst photographed a pantheon of legends, including fashion icon Coco Chanel, Hollywood siren Marlene Dietrich, and surrealist artist Salvador DalÃ. His lens also captured the allure of Rita Hayworth, the grace of Jackie Kennedy, and the charisma of Steve McQueen. Each portrait transcended surface beauty, revealing the inner essence of his subjects and immortalizing them in moments of candid grace.
His work frequently appeared on the pages and covers of Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Vanity Fair, cementing his reputation as one of the foremost fashion photographers of his time. Horst played a pivotal role in shaping the visual language of fashion and celebrity culture, influencing generations of photographers to come.
This montage pays tribute to Horst P. Horst’s extraordinary body of work—a reflection of the elegance, sophistication, and style that defined both his career and the 20th century itself.
VIDEO
FRIENDS + COLLEAGUES + LOVERS
VIDEOS ABOUT HORST
WALL ART AVAILABLE
The Condé Nast Store offers 650+ photos by Horst P. Horst for sale.
MUSIC
Rossier / Blue Street
Bladverk Band / Theme for Ruth
Wendy Marcini / I’m Still Missing You
Hara Noda / Map/Compass
Franz Gordon / In Another Day
Bladverk Band / Embreea
Courtesy Of Epidemic Sound
His photos are so much a part of my visual lexicon that I quite missed who had taken them. Thanks for gathering them together.
Great job, Clint. Personally, I love the sophistication of Cole Porter and Noël Coward, and it was great to see them both in this collection. Do you know of a good biography of Horst? Thanks Larry