George Hoyningen-Huene photographing Rita Hayworth, 1943. Photo by Philippe Halsman

George Hoyningen-Huene

An Iconic Photographer of the Twentieth Century

George Hoyningen-Huene is acknowledged as one of the most iconic pioneers in the genre of fashion photography. His elegant pared down style has had a dramatic impact on fashion houses around the world and his work continues to have relevance today, as someone who created some of the most striking photographic portraits and compositions of the twentieth century.

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recent exhibition

TIMELESS ELEGANCE - GEORGE HOYNINGEN-HUENE

OstLicht Gallery for Photography, Vienna, Austria, June 1st - August 7, 2022

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Divers, Horst and Lee Miller, Paris, 1930

anna wintour’s favorite

When asked to choose her favorite Vogue photographs, Anna Wintour included Huene’s The Divers (July 1930).  She also selected images by Edward Steichen, Horst P Horst, Irving Penn and Cecil Beaton. At the centre of this circle of international photographers, was Huene. This gifted group would help to create the look and style of the 1930’s era, and beyond.  Also included, were photographers Richard Avedon, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and Lee Miller, all of whom were active supporters of the human rights movement. Huene was one of the first fashion photographers to use male models in photo shoots.

Form – light – shadow

George Hoyningen-Huene will be remembered for his unmatched talent for balancing color, form, light, shadow, and the pared-back look of his images. Many of his timeless photographic masterpieces are in the collections of the world’s leading museums, including the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), NYC.

Ernor Carise with a Hula Hoop, 1930

Photo of the week

This is where we share our favourite George Hoyningen-Huene photographs and latest discoveries from the archive.

Another fascinating exhibition in Venice… There is still one month left to see Lee Miller - Man Ray | Fashion | Love | War Showing at Palazzo Franchetti until 10 April, and featuring some of Hoyningen-Huene’s Vogue studies enlarged to a monumental scale. The exhibition begins with the story of Miller’s early modelling career in New York and collaborations in Paris with Hoyningen-Huene. At it’s heart is an exploration of her relationship with Man Ray and the avant-garde circle of friends that surrounded them, including Cocteau, Dalí, Ernst and Picasso. #leemiller #manray #georgehoyningenhuene #fashionphotography #portraiture #vogue #1920s #1930s #classicphotography #blackandwhitephotography #avantgardeart
A spectacular Venetian evening to celebrate Chronorama: Photographic Treasures of the 20th Century at the Palazzo Grassi. Many of Hoyningen-Huene’s photographs for Vogue and Vanity Fair are on show, alongside 400 iconic works spanning the 1910s to the 1980s. Thank you Anna Wintour, François Pinault, and François-Henri Pinault for a wonderful night. Congratulations @matthieuhumery and @ivanshaw and the team on the masterful curation and exhibition catalogue. #georgehoyningenhuene #vogue #vanityfair #condenast #fashionphotography #portraitphotography #blackandwhitephotography #classicphotography #palazzograssi #venice
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Tracing the threads of influence: George Hoyningen-Huene and Les Girls (1957)

Dr Lucy Fife Donaldson

An account of George Hoyningen-Huene's contribution and collaborations with George Cukor, Gene Allen and Orry-Kelly. This essay is published in Movie: A Journal of Film Criticism, issue 10. Click here to read the accompanying essay statement.

Selected works