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Helmut Newton: Portraits
Newton’s collection of portraits from the worlds of film, fashion, politics and culture can be considered a pantheon of VIP’s. But his work is a lot more besides. From his portraits, one can see that he would have most liked to be a Roman paparazzo – as he once admitted. Anyone who had a portrait made by him knew what the result would be, and by the 1980’s there were absolutely no ‘beautiful people’ in this world who did not want to be photographed by him! In front of his camera, both men and women peeled off their covers – literally as well as figuratively. His brilliant staged creations celebrate the attractiveness and prominence of his models as well as their vanity and imperfections. Newton’s top-quality work for major fashion journals and elitist art magazines is likewise first-class erotic art. This collection was first published by us in 1985.
- GenresPhotographyArtNonfiction
248 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1987
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About the author
Helmut Newton
101 books50 followersHelmut Newton, born Helmut Neustädter was a German-Australian fashion photographer noted for his nude studies of women.
Born to a German-Jewish button-factory owner and an American mother, Newton attended the Heinrich-von-Treitschke-Realgymnasium and the American School in Berlin. Interested in photography from the age of twelve when he purchased his first camera, he worked for the German photographer Yva (Else Neulander Simon) from 1936. The increasingly oppressive restrictions placed on Jews by the Nuremberg laws meant that his father lost control of the factory in which he manufactured buttons and buckles; he was even briefly interned in a concentration camp. ‘Kristallnacht’ on 9 November 1938 compelled the family to leave Germany.
Newton's parents fled to Chile. He was issued with a passport just after turning 18, and left Germany on 5 December 1938. At Trieste he boarded the 'Conte Rosso' (along with about two hundred others escaping the Nazis) intending to journey to China. After arriving in Singapore, Newton was interned by British authorities and was sent to Australia on board the 'Queen Mary'. Internees travelled to the camp of Tatura, Victoria by train under armed guard. He was released from internment in 1942, and briefly worked as a fruit-picker in northern Victoria. In April 1942, he enlisted with the Australian Army and worked as a truck driver. After the war, in 1945 he became an Australian citizen, and changed his name to Newton in 1946. In 1948 he married actress June Browne.She later became a successful photographer known as Alice Springs.
In 1946, Newton set up a studio in fashionable Flinders Lane and worked primarily on fashion photography in the affluent post-war years. He shared his first joint exhibition in May 1953 with Wolfgang Sievers, a German refugee like himself who had also served in the same Company. The exhibition of ‘New Visions in Photography’ was held at the Federal Hotel in Collins Street and was probably the first glimpse of 'New Objectivity' photography in Australia. Newton went into partnership with Henry Talbot, a fellow German Jew who had also been interned at Tatura.
Newton's growing reputation as a fashion photographer was rewarded when he secured a commission to illustrate fashions in a special Australian supplement for Vogue magazine, published in January 1956. He won a twelve-month contract with British Vogue and he left for London in February 1957. He left the magazine before the end of his contract and went to Paris where he worked for French and German magazines. He returned to Melbourne in March 1959 to a contract for Australian Vogue.
He settled in Paris in 1961 and continued work as a fashion photographer. His works appeared in magazines including, most significantly, French Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. He established a particular style marked by erotic, stylised scenes, often with sado-masochistic and fetishistic subtexts. A heart attack in 1970 slowed his output somewhat but he extended his work and his notoriety/fame greatly increased, notably with his 1980 "Big Nudes" series which marked the pinnacle of his erotic-urban style, underpinned with excellent technical skills. He also worked in portraiture and more fantastical studies.
Newton was extremely fond of his hometown of Berlin, and in October 2003 he donated an extensive photo collection to the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, establishing the Helmut Newton Foundation. The foundation’s aim is the conservation, protection and presentation of the oeuvre of Helmut Newton and Alice Springs.
In his later life, Newton lived in Monte Carlo and Los Angeles. He was killed when his car hit a wall in the driveway of the famous Chateau Marmont, the hotel on Sunset Boulevard which had for several years served as his residence in Southern California. It has been speculated that Newton suffered a heart attack in the moments before the collision. His ashes are buried next to Marlene Dietrich at
Born to a German-Jewish button-factory owner and an American mother, Newton attended the Heinrich-von-Treitschke-Realgymnasium and the American School in Berlin. Interested in photography from the age of twelve when he purchased his first camera, he worked for the German photographer Yva (Else Neulander Simon) from 1936. The increasingly oppressive restrictions placed on Jews by the Nuremberg laws meant that his father lost control of the factory in which he manufactured buttons and buckles; he was even briefly interned in a concentration camp. ‘Kristallnacht’ on 9 November 1938 compelled the family to leave Germany.
Newton's parents fled to Chile. He was issued with a passport just after turning 18, and left Germany on 5 December 1938. At Trieste he boarded the 'Conte Rosso' (along with about two hundred others escaping the Nazis) intending to journey to China. After arriving in Singapore, Newton was interned by British authorities and was sent to Australia on board the 'Queen Mary'. Internees travelled to the camp of Tatura, Victoria by train under armed guard. He was released from internment in 1942, and briefly worked as a fruit-picker in northern Victoria. In April 1942, he enlisted with the Australian Army and worked as a truck driver. After the war, in 1945 he became an Australian citizen, and changed his name to Newton in 1946. In 1948 he married actress June Browne.She later became a successful photographer known as Alice Springs.
In 1946, Newton set up a studio in fashionable Flinders Lane and worked primarily on fashion photography in the affluent post-war years. He shared his first joint exhibition in May 1953 with Wolfgang Sievers, a German refugee like himself who had also served in the same Company. The exhibition of ‘New Visions in Photography’ was held at the Federal Hotel in Collins Street and was probably the first glimpse of 'New Objectivity' photography in Australia. Newton went into partnership with Henry Talbot, a fellow German Jew who had also been interned at Tatura.
Newton's growing reputation as a fashion photographer was rewarded when he secured a commission to illustrate fashions in a special Australian supplement for Vogue magazine, published in January 1956. He won a twelve-month contract with British Vogue and he left for London in February 1957. He left the magazine before the end of his contract and went to Paris where he worked for French and German magazines. He returned to Melbourne in March 1959 to a contract for Australian Vogue.
He settled in Paris in 1961 and continued work as a fashion photographer. His works appeared in magazines including, most significantly, French Vogue and Harper's Bazaar. He established a particular style marked by erotic, stylised scenes, often with sado-masochistic and fetishistic subtexts. A heart attack in 1970 slowed his output somewhat but he extended his work and his notoriety/fame greatly increased, notably with his 1980 "Big Nudes" series which marked the pinnacle of his erotic-urban style, underpinned with excellent technical skills. He also worked in portraiture and more fantastical studies.
Newton was extremely fond of his hometown of Berlin, and in October 2003 he donated an extensive photo collection to the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, establishing the Helmut Newton Foundation. The foundation’s aim is the conservation, protection and presentation of the oeuvre of Helmut Newton and Alice Springs.
In his later life, Newton lived in Monte Carlo and Los Angeles. He was killed when his car hit a wall in the driveway of the famous Chateau Marmont, the hotel on Sunset Boulevard which had for several years served as his residence in Southern California. It has been speculated that Newton suffered a heart attack in the moments before the collision. His ashes are buried next to Marlene Dietrich at
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
December 6, 2024
Esse livro em especifico vai até meados dos anos 80 e consiste em sua maioria de artistas famosos, portanto muita coisa icônica do Newton ficou de fora.
July 17, 2013
From the stunning portrait of Paloma Picasso on the front cover to the self-portrait on the back cover, this book presents some of the best work of Helmut Newton.
His portraiture of the international beau monde is often amusing, often sympathetic, often admiring and always stylish.
He has Michael Caine and his wife posing by the pool in their Hollywood home, Anthony Burgess, looking rather rakish in Monte Carlo, Mick Jagger looking mildly provocative in Paris, where a topless David Hockney is also portrayed at the Piscine Royale.
There are many more and they are are all so stunning that two, three or even four looks through the book is not time wasted.
My particular favourite is an eye-catching study of his wife (who features in a number of studies) sat at a table in Paris in 1972 ... the only drawback is that she is about to light a cigarette! But that takes nothing away from the rather attractive assets that she is displaying!
Terence Pepper provides an entertaining, historical introduction.
His portraiture of the international beau monde is often amusing, often sympathetic, often admiring and always stylish.
He has Michael Caine and his wife posing by the pool in their Hollywood home, Anthony Burgess, looking rather rakish in Monte Carlo, Mick Jagger looking mildly provocative in Paris, where a topless David Hockney is also portrayed at the Piscine Royale.
There are many more and they are are all so stunning that two, three or even four looks through the book is not time wasted.
My particular favourite is an eye-catching study of his wife (who features in a number of studies) sat at a table in Paris in 1972 ... the only drawback is that she is about to light a cigarette! But that takes nothing away from the rather attractive assets that she is displaying!
Terence Pepper provides an entertaining, historical introduction.
October 8, 2021
The cover photograph of Elizabeth Taylor stands as the true beauty shot. The rest qualify as striking or salacious. I am indulging my current fascination with high and low. It seems photography is the best way to satisfy that desire.
Helmut Newton seems to prefer women unshaven.
Helmut Newton seems to prefer women unshaven.
February 25, 2024
Helmut Newton is an absolute master photographer. He's famous for his erotic photos as well as for the portraits of famous stars and artists. An outstanding selection of this work is assembled in this wonderful coffee table book: from Dali to Warhol. Amazing works, I really liked to look at. Highly recommended!
December 11, 2021
Superb portraits, in which the photographer's desires are inextricably linked with his subjects, sometimes uncomfortable, always fascinating. An insightful interview precedes the plates.
July 4, 2023
There are some stunning portraits in here and I'd suggest this for anyone that loves photos and portraiture.
April 28, 2020
Newton always imposes his own stories on the people he photographs - casts the celebrities he shoots on assignment in his own dirty little dramas. For instance he shoots Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis on her yacht, with its seamen, but arranges it to make to reader think achetypally of a ravenous aristocratic sybarite and her crew of untiring sex-swains. Or maybe that's just this reader. This book is like a little photo directory of an elegantly debauched, chicly enervated world that superfically resembles 70s Paris and 80s LA, but is really some landscape of Newton's imagination.
December 29, 2008
More subtle than his outsize reputation would suggest; a how-to manual for neophytes, and a generous wide-ranging selection of his particular brand of exemplary portraiture.
December 8, 2013
fantastisk fotobok
January 24, 2015
Gorgeous portraits, as well as an insightful interview with the photographer.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews