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Annie Leibovitz photographs

Call Number

PR 365

Date

2009-2011, inclusive

Creator

Leibovitz, Annie, 1949- (Role: Photographer)

Extent

3.33 Linear feet (10 photographs in one flat file folder)

Language of Materials

English .

Abstract

The Annie Leibovitz photographs held in this collection are among those shown in the exhibition Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage at the New-York Historical Society from November 21, 2014 - February 22, 2015. The prints owned by N-YHS were not in the exhibition as other versions of the same images were on display. These photographs are unlike her staged and carefully lit portraits made on assignment for magazines and advertising clients, which she is known for. The photographs in this exhibition were taken simply because Leibovitz was moved by the subject. The images speak in a commonplace language to the photographer's curiosity about the world she inherited, spanning landscapes both dramatic and quiet, interiors of living rooms and bedrooms, and objects that are talismans of past lives.

Biographical/Historical Note

Anna-Lou "Annie" Leibovitz was born in Waterbury, Connecticut on October 2, 1949. In 1967, Leibovitz enrolled at the San Francisco Art Institute, where (although initially studying painting) she developed a love for photography. She became a staff photographer for the magazine Rolling Stone in 1970 and only two years later she was promoted to chief photographer. During these years she developed her trademark technique, which involved the use of bold primary colors and surprising poses. In 1983, Leibovitz left Rolling Stone and began working for Vanity Fair where she began to work with a wider array of subjects, ranging from presidents to literary icons to teen heartthrobs. In 1996, Leibovitz worked as the official photographer of the Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Annie Leibovitz is widely considered one of America's best portrait photographers and she has published several books and has exhibited widely. She is a Commandeur in the French government's Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and has been designated a Living Legend by the Library of Congress.

Scope and Contents

These 10 photographs are Archival Pigment Prints printed under the direct supervision of the artist. These particular prints were not exhibited at N-YHS but were specifically printed for N-YHS after the exhibition. The images were among 70 photographs that were exhibited in the traveling exhibition, Annie Leibovitz: Pilgrimage at the New-York Historical Society from November 21, 2014 - February 22, 2015. This exhibition of photographs taken between April 2009 and May 2011 was originally organized for the Smithsonian American Art Museum by guest curator Andy Grundberg, former New York Times photography critic and associate provost and dean of undergraduate studies at the Corcoran College of Art + Design. Joann Moser, deputy chief curator, was the coordinating curator at the museum.

These photographs are unlike Leibovitz's staged and carefully lit portraits made on assignment for magazines and advertising clients, which she is known for. The photographs in this exhibition were taken simply because Leibovitz was moved by the subject. The images speak in a commonplace language to the photographer's curiosity about the world she inherited, spanning landscapes both dramatic and quiet, interiors of living rooms and bedrooms, and objects that are talismans of past lives. Although there are no people in Leibovitz's pictures, the images are, in a certain sense, portraits of subjects that shaped the photographer's distinctly American view of her cultural inheritance. Visiting the homes of iconic figures including Thomas Jefferson, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Georgia O'Keeffe, as well as places such as Niagara Falls, Gettysburg and the Yosemite Valley, Leibovitz let her instincts and intuitions guide her to related subjects – hence the title "Pilgrimage."

Access Restrictions

Open to qualified researchers. Available by advance appointment only. To schedule an appointment, contact the Print Room Librarian at printroom@nyhistory.org.

Use Restrictions

Permission to reproduce any Print Room holdings through publication must be obtained from: Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 270. Fax: (212) 579-8794. Email: rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org.

Preferred Citation Note

This collection should be cited as Annie Leibovitz Photographs, PR 365, Department of Prints, Photographs, and Architectural Collections, The New-York Historical Society.

Immediate Source of Acquisition Note

Gift of Annie Leibovitz, 2016.

Related Archival Materials Note

A copy of the book Pilgrimage can be found in the N-YHS Library (call phrase: Main Collection; E159 .L45 2011 Oversize).

Collection processed by

Jessica Flon

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-21 15:47:08 -0400.
Using Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language: English

Processing Information Note

The collection was processed in 2018 by Jessica Flon.

Repository

New-York Historical Society
New-York Historical Society
170 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024