An Outstanding Archive of Fashion and Celebrity Portraits by the PhotographerFrancesco Scavullo from the Collection of His Partner, Stylist Sean Byrnes. Featuring Photographs of Barbra Streisand, Brooke Shields, Sting, Diana Ross, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Divine, on October 16th, 2015.
Scavullo’s name is synonymous with beauty and glamour; he is widely known for his eye-catching photographs of celebrities and his work with countless magazines. most notably his 30 years spent shooting cover girls for Cosmopolitan. His studio portraits celebrated personalities from the worlds of fashion, film, music, art. literature, sports and the LGBTQ community. Highlights from Francesco Scavullo: No End to Beauty include photographs of Barbra Streisand, Kim Basinger. Bruce Jenner, Brooke Shields, Sting, Grace Jones, Holly Woodlawn, Salvadore Dali, Linda Evangelista, Divine and screenprints executed by Rupert Jasen Smith Jr., Andy Warhol’s master printer. Spanning four decades of Scavullos’s work, the sale offers more than 80 photographs with estimates ranging from $700 to $12,000. All of the works are offered without reserve.
In collaboration with Byrnes, Scavullo’s innovative lighting technique, affinity for stylized hair and statementmaking make-up became known as the “Scavullo-ization” of his subjects. transforming them into the era’s definition of beauty. “Together they had the remarkable ability to identify and reveal beauty in every single subject.” states Jay Arnold, who worked with the pair. Scavullo and Byrnes knew that beauty wasn’t just something one was born with, but also something one could find and create in a variety of subjects. He discovered Brooke Shields when she was 11 months old, convinced Diana Ross to go without make-up and with wet hair for the cover of her iconic 1980 album Diana. shot the campaign for the 1976 film A Star is Born starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson and worked with supermodels including Christy Turlington. Linda Evangelista. I man. Cindy Crawford, helping to turn them into household names.
Born on Staten Island in 1921, Scavullo’s fascination with beautiful women began early. when he started dressing up his younger sisters like Old Hollywood icons and photographing them. His talent continued to develop during a role at Vogue and as the assistant to prominent fashion photographer Horst P. Horst. He shot his first cover, for Seventeen magazine. at the age of 19. In 1965, Scavullo was hired by Cosmopolitan magazine’s new and revolutionary editor-in-chief. Helen Gurley Brown. to define the publication’s image of the modern woman: “The Cosmo Girl.” In 1971. the photographer began his collaboration with his longtime partner Sean Byrnes. Byrnes was the stylist. developing the look including the selection of designer clothing as well as hairstyles and make-up for the models. The pair set off on creating an image of beauty which women aspired to for the next three decades. making Scavullo one of the most coveted photographers in fashion journalism.
The sale will be held online at 3:00 pm EDT 16 October 2015 onwww.Sothebys.com/Scavullo.
