Erwin Blumenfeld (1897-1969) is commonly referred to as the most influential photographer of the 21st century. Finding his passion at an early age, Blumenfield took his very first photograph, a still life, at the tender age of 10. As a schoolboy in Berlin, he began to frequent the Café des Westens, a favorite meeting place of many of the famous Expressionist artists of the day. It was there he became friends with George Grosz, a member of the Dada movement, who inspired Blumenfeld to experiment with collages made using his photographs and magazine cuttings. After World War I, Erwin opened a leather goods store which went bankrupt in 1935. That same year his first photograph was published the French magazine Photographie. His work was also featured in a group show at the New Art School in Amsterdam, along with Grosz, Man Ray, Moholy-Nagy, Léger and Mondrian, which helped him secure his first commissioned portrait jobs. Blumenfeld was introduced to Cecil Beaton in 1938, who helped him secure a position working for French Vogue. The following year, Erwin shot one of his most well known photos of model Lisa Fonssagrives hanging off of the Eiffel Tower. Sadly, after World War II broke out, Blumenfeld was sent to a French internment camp. He escaped to the United States in 1942 and was immediately put under contract by Harper’s Bazaar in New York City. In 1943, Blumenfeld opened his first New York City studio next to Central Park. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, his colorful editorials appeared in Vogue, Life, Cosmopolitan, Harper's Bazaar and many other publications. Despite the commercial environment, Blumenfeld continued to experiment with his photography and refused to compromise his artistic integrity. He also began to shoot famous actresses of the era, such as Marlene Dietrich, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. One of his most memorable and dramatic images is the 'doe eye' cover photo he shot for Vogue in 1950 in which the model is reduced to a flat white background with a perfect pair of lips, a beauty mark and one eye highlighted by a single flick of eyeliner. It is said to be one of the most iconic covers in Vogue 's history.
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