A collection of over 50 photographs of iconic model and actress, Marilyn Monroe, were previewed during a press conference in Wroclaw, Poland. The images were taken by photographer, Milton Greene (1922-1985). Greene, a notable fashion photographer, was a close friend to Monroe throughout her career. At one point, she moved in with the photographer and his family, giving him and his camera backstage access to the actresses personal life.
This particular collection of portraits is especially rare as it is said to offer a unique perspective of Monroe with each individual photos.
The collection’s curator, Marek Stanielewicz, told Rueters, “I think that a person walking through the exhibition should be able to see a different Marilyn Monroe on every photograph, because these are photographs of an actress and movie star but also a private person. Some photographs were posed but some are Marilyn Monroe in intimate situations. The key thing was to show Marilyn Monroe not only as a great actress and sex symbol but Marilyn Monroe as a human and a girl.”
The images are set to go on public display this July in Wroclaw, Poland. The Polish city was said to have purchased the photographs at auction as part of a 3,000+ print collection for $1.69 million (USD) in 2014. “Poland obtained the pictures as part of a settlement in an embezzlement case involving a U.S. businessman in the 1990s. A first batch of pictures of Monroe was auctioned in 2012,” reported Reuters.
The enormous collection also includes portraits of Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Judy Garland and Marlene Dietrich, though only the Monroe portraits will be displayed in the forthcoming exhibition. The display is expected to be a major attraction to Wroclaw, which is presently vying to become a leading capital city for culture in Europe next year.
[ via Reuters ]
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