Chatting on set of The Misfits | 4B Large

A pioneer for female photojournalists, Eve Arnold is one of the most influential photojournalists of the 20th century. Expressing their very essence in each photograph, Arnold photographed her subjects in an intimate and informal manner.

A master of black and white and colour photography, Arnold’s photographs of Marilyn Monroe are some of her most famous works. The pair developed a deep sense of companionship throughout their decade-long friendship.

Their longest shoot took place whilst Monroe was filming the iconic 1961 The Misfits, the last film in which the actress participated before her tragic death in 1962. Filmed in Reno, Nevada, Arnold joined the cast in production during 1960 for only two weeks initially. This was extended to two months as the planned 50 days of production increased to 90 days, and given Marilyn’s fragility, it was better for the actress that Arnold stayed rather than getting her adjusted to a new person. During this period, Marilyn was struggling with personal issues, and the physical environment of production was intense with Arnold remembering ‘the locations had hazards of extreme heat and cold, dust storms’. Arnold and Marilyn’s friendship blossomed during this period, with Arnold stating ‘the only thing I could do to try to ease her pain was to photograph her – to try and recapture the pleasure she felt when we worked together’.

Surrounded by people, the actress here is caught in conversation, showing Arnold’s ability to photograph people in their most natural informal way. With Marilyn in the centre of the shot and the film crew behind, we get to glimpse of what life on set looked like.

Fascinated by Monroe’s natural ability in front of a camera, Arnold captured the actress in a way no one else had, in her quiet and vulnerable moments. Arnold’s candid images exhibit the often-unseen side of Monroe, showing the softness and innocence of her authentic self. The photographs captured on The Misfits set are among the last ever taken of the famous actress.

In a career spanning six decades, Eve Arnold photographed people from all walks of life, from the Hollywood elite and political figures to manual labourers. With curiosity as her biggest driving force, Arnold showed incredible bravery throughout her career, putting her commitment to capturing reality above all else, making her photographs a part of history.

A holographic, silvered certificate with archive approved facsimile of Eve Arnold’s signature accompanies each numbered edition.

Each limited edition is a hand-printed silver gelatin print produced from the original negative by Arnold’s long-standing photographic print-maker Glen Brent. The images have been printed on AGSA multi-contrast fibre-based fine art paper.

Arnold’s original negatives are retained by Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library at Yale University.

Find out more about Arnold here or alternatively shop more art here.

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