More than 60 years after her death, the iconic status of Marilyn Monroe shows no signs of diminishing, especially in 2026 when she would have turned 100 (in June). No less iconic within photography circles at least, Eve Arnold – the first woman to join the legendary Magnum Photos agency – photographed the star for many years, developing a friendship and trust that led to some wonderful photography.
It’s arguable that being a woman led to a different dynamic between the two, certainly there’s an intimacy here that is not always evident in photographs taken by Arnold’s male peers.
The two first met at a party in the 1950s, where Monroe is said to have told Arnold that she’d seen the photographer’s images of Marlene Dietrich. She’s reported to have said, ‘if you could do that well with Marlene, can you imagine what you could do with me?’
This edition is a republishing of the 1987 volume Marilyn Monroe: An Appreciation, but also includes newly discovered and restored photographs in both colour and black & white. It also includes insightful commentary from Arnold herself, with a detailed biography in her own words giving us a behind-the-photographs glimpse of what it was like working with the notorious movie star. Arnold died in 2012, aged 99.
With more than 100 illustrations in the book, there’s a veritable feast for Monroe fans, but of course Eve Arnold was a master of her craft too, so it’s a delicious treat for those of us who are more interested in that side of things. A particular highlight for me was the contact sheet from the set of The Misfits, the last film Monroe would shoot before her death.
The book ends with an afterword by Michael Arnold, Eve’s grandson, written in 2024, bringing the publication up to date. Even if you haven’t got any special interest in the ‘golden age’ of Hollywood, this is a stellar example of how subject and photographer can work together to create something great and comes highly recommended for that reason alone.
Related reading:
- Previously unseen pictures of Marilyn Monroe restored in new book
- Marilyn Monroe and California girls Andre De Dienes exhibition
- Marilyn Monroe Portraits taken Shortly Icons Death Fetches
