Screen Idols | Magnum Photos

This December, Magnum Photos Print Room presents itself to the 99 Mount Street Gallery in Mayfair with an exhibition of classic portraits of cinematic royalty, both historic and contemporary.

Collectively Magnum’s Archive of film imagery captures behind-the scenes moments. Photographing film directors, actors and actresses both on and off camera, a large part of the history of cinema. A mix of vintage and contemporary prints, the exhibition at 99 Mount Street Gallery primarily includes photographs that were taken in the 50s and 60s, and to a lesser extent, pictures from the 21C.

Shown here are some of the most famous and iconic images of screen stars, famous beyond the reputation of their authors and Magnum Photos agency alike. Pictures of Marilyn Monroe produced by Eve Arnold from 1950, some taken during the making of Monroe’s last film: The Misfits (1961), document Arnold’s rich ten years of working with the screen icon. Dennis Stock’s photograph of James Dean in a rain swept Times Square (1954) also makes an appearance in the show.

The 1950’s, a period when the cult of the cinema idol grew rapidly, coinciding with Magnum Photos’ own ‘Golden Age’ before television was widely available, when picture magazines reigned supreme. Magnum’s photographers forged friendships with movie stars and directors, developing intimate relationships that allowed them the privilege of unchecked access to celebrity private life, a privilege that is no longer conceivable today.

Image copywright of David Seymour / Magnum Photos. Sophia Loren.