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Monkey Portraits
Jill Greenberg offers a fascinating, funny, and all-too-human collection of celebrity monkey and ape portraits. Each of these 76 amazing anthropomorphic photographs will remind readers of someone they know.
112 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
December 29, 2014
"Monkeys are superior to men in this: when a monkey looks into a mirror, he sees a monkey."
~Malcolm de Chazal
These are, without question, the funniest, sweetest, most heartbreakingly beautiful portraits I've ever seen.
I defy anyone not to be moved by these unforgettable faces.
~Malcolm de Chazal
These are, without question, the funniest, sweetest, most heartbreakingly beautiful portraits I've ever seen.
I defy anyone not to be moved by these unforgettable faces.
June 25, 2008
As you may or may not guess from the title, this book contains nothing but monkey portraits. Let me repeat that: this book. contains nothing. but monkey portraits. that is to say, the entirety of this book is comprised of photographs of various monkeys. To reiterate, many monkeys were photographed and then those photos were subsequently collected and made into a book — this book — which is called, aptly enough, Monkey Portraits.
November 13, 2019
Awesome ... I found this at our local library's annual summer book sale. The sale started Saturday and I didn't go in until Monday. This book was STILL THERE! Crazy ... And BTW, many of the portraits are of apes, not monkeys. The book's authors DO point this out, but many people do not seem to know the difference. So ... chimpanzees, oran-utans and gibbons, all pictured here, are apes, not monkeys. Of course they are very much related to monkeys(as humans are to apes). Baboons are monkeys, not apes. Barbary "apes" are monkeys, not apes. I could go on, but the call of brevity restrains me.
August 27, 2024
Another fine book read in a doctors office!
September 8, 2015
Those who page through Monkey Portraits will come away with a renewed appreciation for the sentience of primates. In these extreme close-ups, we unmistakably recognize expressions of joy, annoyance, mischievousness, embarrassment, shyness and more. While the body shapes of monkeys and apes may be exotic, there is no doubt that there is a someone behind those eyes.
Seeing these remarkable images will no doubt cause more aware readers to ponder the many ways we torment and snuff out these someones. We drive species to the brink of extinction through habitat loss and the bushmeat trade. We experiment on them by scores. We confine them as “exotic pets.” And we use them, too often abusively, for entertainment.
Which brings me to the disappointing aspect of this book. The photographer used showbiz primates for her portraits; animals who would sit and pose on cue in a studio. The monkeys’ and apes’ “credits” at the end of the book list things like “Jack in the Box commercial” and “Maxim magazine.” Their origins are often animal rental agencies with names like “Benay’s Bird and Animal Source.”
While the backgrounds of the animals don’t diminish the power of the photographs, it is sad the photographer chose to support the use of primates in show business, particularly great apes. That many of these young chimps and orangutans probably have sad pasts and even sadder futures adds a melancholy edge to the portraits.
Seeing these remarkable images will no doubt cause more aware readers to ponder the many ways we torment and snuff out these someones. We drive species to the brink of extinction through habitat loss and the bushmeat trade. We experiment on them by scores. We confine them as “exotic pets.” And we use them, too often abusively, for entertainment.
Which brings me to the disappointing aspect of this book. The photographer used showbiz primates for her portraits; animals who would sit and pose on cue in a studio. The monkeys’ and apes’ “credits” at the end of the book list things like “Jack in the Box commercial” and “Maxim magazine.” Their origins are often animal rental agencies with names like “Benay’s Bird and Animal Source.”
While the backgrounds of the animals don’t diminish the power of the photographs, it is sad the photographer chose to support the use of primates in show business, particularly great apes. That many of these young chimps and orangutans probably have sad pasts and even sadder futures adds a melancholy edge to the portraits.
February 24, 2012
I suppose it's a stretch to say that I read this book today. It's mostly pictures, and even so, I skipped the intro. I was having a bad day. At first the monkeys really cheered me up but then I found myself weirdly fixated on how shampooed they were. Some appeared to be wearing moisturizer. They were posed under bright lights in a grey room. Maybe monkeys don't mind any of that, but it made me feel strange and sad.
March 23, 2011
"For anyone who doubts Darwin (ahem, Mr President) look in the monkey
mirror and think again" Introduction by Jill Greenberg
mirror and think again" Introduction by Jill Greenberg
November 3, 2013
This book is beautifully done. I'm a little concerned about what they had to do to the monkeys to get them in the poses they wanted but if I'm just judging on the pictures; I loved it!
February 17, 2019
Not really a "read" book, but so fun I had to share it. Definitely grab this from the library if you get a chance, the portraits are awesome.
August 19, 2019
Liked it a lot. Read it quickly.
August 2, 2020
Shocking and incredible. Amazing photography that is simultaneously challenging, introspective, fun and hilarious.
October 27, 2022
beautiful and ridiculously humane portraits
April 7, 2014
75 DELIGHTFUL PHOTOS OF PRIMATES WHO REVEAL THEIR VERY HUMAN-LIKE EMOTIONS
I recently ran across Monkey Portraits at my local used bookstore – The Iliad Bookshop – and couldn’t put it down. Commercial and celebrity photographer Jill Greenberg spent five years photographing monkeys (and some apes) who she met through animal agencies and trainers, ending up with this collection of 75 spectacular primate portraits. The photos are not only technically beautiful but also truly amazing in the way that Greenberg so perfectly captured the expressions and emotions of these creatures. Animal books aren’t usually my thing, but with this book I studied every monkey on every page, laughing especially hard at the ones who reminded me of someone I knew. These photographs are a reminder of how similar primates are to humans, and how similar humans are to primates. – Carla Sinclair
Monkey Portraits
by Jill Greenberg
Little, Brown & Company
2007, 128 pages, 8.3 x 10 x 0.4
Buy a copy on Amazon
I recently ran across Monkey Portraits at my local used bookstore – The Iliad Bookshop – and couldn’t put it down. Commercial and celebrity photographer Jill Greenberg spent five years photographing monkeys (and some apes) who she met through animal agencies and trainers, ending up with this collection of 75 spectacular primate portraits. The photos are not only technically beautiful but also truly amazing in the way that Greenberg so perfectly captured the expressions and emotions of these creatures. Animal books aren’t usually my thing, but with this book I studied every monkey on every page, laughing especially hard at the ones who reminded me of someone I knew. These photographs are a reminder of how similar primates are to humans, and how similar humans are to primates. – Carla Sinclair
Monkey Portraits
by Jill Greenberg
Little, Brown & Company
2007, 128 pages, 8.3 x 10 x 0.4
Buy a copy on Amazon
June 17, 2010
As a lover of primates and monkeys alike, I grabbed this book from the library display case and curled up for a good half hour, contemplating each face. O rhesus fair, o sweet chimpanzee.
Jill Greenberg earned notoriety for her work with human subjects -- John McCain and children in particular (see this great Slate piece on Greenberg's style and method). Well, she has a gift for putting these creatures at ease. It helps that all of the monkeys are professional models and actors in L.A. (not joking -- check out their résumés in the appendix).
I didn't care for the cutesy captions for each portrait ("sad", "sleepy", "anxious"). These species express themselves quite capably, no subtitles needed.
Jill Greenberg earned notoriety for her work with human subjects -- John McCain and children in particular (see this great Slate piece on Greenberg's style and method). Well, she has a gift for putting these creatures at ease. It helps that all of the monkeys are professional models and actors in L.A. (not joking -- check out their résumés in the appendix).
I didn't care for the cutesy captions for each portrait ("sad", "sleepy", "anxious"). These species express themselves quite capably, no subtitles needed.
January 25, 2012
Everyone I've shown this book to, at first glance, laughed. Monkey portraits seem humorous--since we use monkeys in silly ways. I think people expect to see widely grinning, comic faces.
What I found instead, were deeply human, beautifully moving portraits. Looking at these pictures, you cannot deny the soulfulness of these primates. They shouldn't be pets, or medical subjects or hunted for parts. As shepherds of the Earth, it's our duty to protect, not abuse, them.
I found the images to be lovely, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, often contemplative. The photography is stunning. I'm leaving this out on my table for folk to enjoy. The pictures speak plenty loud without me ever having to open my trap.
What I found instead, were deeply human, beautifully moving portraits. Looking at these pictures, you cannot deny the soulfulness of these primates. They shouldn't be pets, or medical subjects or hunted for parts. As shepherds of the Earth, it's our duty to protect, not abuse, them.
I found the images to be lovely, sometimes funny, sometimes sad, often contemplative. The photography is stunning. I'm leaving this out on my table for folk to enjoy. The pictures speak plenty loud without me ever having to open my trap.
June 5, 2016
I purchased this book because I love Monkeys and the idea of the book interested me. I expected to like this book but I LOVED it. The photographer Jill Greenberg is remarkable, I couldn't believe all the expressions she captured. I found some pictures funny, some sad, some interesting, but all were touching in some way. The only thing I would have loved more is if the bio's of the Monkeys in the back of the book were more in depth. A funny side note is that one of my all time favorite Monkey pictures is called Little Screamer and while flipping through the pages of this book, that picture was in there. I couldn't believe it.
February 5, 2008
"We recognize people because we have in fact met their relatives on countless occasions. Everyone is a remix of the same code. It is this uncanny feeling, a slip in perception and knowledge, that at once binds us to our fellow earth travelers, but also, i think, explains our fascination with looking at portraits. We recognize, then misrecognize, then recognize ourselves, ad infinitum."
-paul myoda
-paul myoda
December 23, 2007
They're human!!! I mean... We're monkeys!!
Gorgeous photographs w/ great little, one-word titles. I see myself and my peers in all of it. At the very least, find it in your local library. The images will stay with you.
Gorgeous photographs w/ great little, one-word titles. I see myself and my peers in all of it. At the very least, find it in your local library. The images will stay with you.
February 21, 2007
This is the ultimate coffee table book! These portraits are hysterical.
August 8, 2007
Not really a read, but still awesome.
August 19, 2007
Studio portraits of monkeys (and a few apes) that show them to have as much, or more character than most people we've met. Amazing.
March 31, 2008
finally i own this book! it's gorgeous and funny and will not help you if you already feel uncomfortable in the monkey house at the zoo.
December 19, 2007
Portraits of monkeys. Kind of hard to go wrong with this.
January 9, 2008
Cute cute cute. America's Next Top Monkey!
February 13, 2008
Brilliant. Monkey Portraits. What more can you want?
Want to read
February 26, 2008Recommended by Becky O.
February 27, 2020
Fantastic photos that Indy and I both love. And a great way to teach the words for complex emotions.
April 5, 2008
The name really says it all
July 18, 2008
Great coffee table book.
July 23, 2008
If you have a thing for our furry relatives, this book is for you.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews