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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

Vanity Fair Portraits

Photographs 1913-2008

Vanity Fair Portraits traces the birth and evolution of photographic portraiture through the archives of Vanity Fair magazine.

More information on Vanity Fair Portraits

Selected images

Prince William of Wales, by Mario Testino, 2003 publ. September 2003.
Credit: Mario Testino

Prince William of Wales, by Mario Testino, 2003 publ. September 2003.
Credit: Mario Testino

Jessica Lange and Sam Shepard, by Bruce Weber, 1984 publ. October 1984.
Credit: Bruce Weber

Jessica Lange and Sam Shepard, by Bruce Weber, 1984 publ. October 1984.
Credit: Bruce Weber

Jessica Lange and Sam Shepard, by Bruce Weber, 1984 publ. October 1984.
Credit: Bruce Weber

Jessica Lange and Sam Shepard, by Bruce Weber, 1984 publ. October 1984.
Credit: Bruce Weber

Albertina Rasch Dancers, by Florence Vandamm, 1927 publ. April 1927.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Albertina Rasch Dancers, by Florence Vandamm, 1927 publ. April 1927.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Madonna, by Mario Testino, 1996 publ. November 1996.
Credit: Mario Testino

Madonna, by Mario Testino, 1996 publ. November 1996.
Credit: Mario Testino

Augustus John, by Malcolm Arbuthnot, 1920 publ. February 1920.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Augustus John, by Malcolm Arbuthnot, 1920 publ. February 1920.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Julianne Moore as Ingres's 'Grand Odalisque', New York City, by Michael Thompson, 2000 publ. April 2000.
Credit: Michael Thompson

Julianne Moore as Ingres's 'Grand Odalisque', New York City, by Michael Thompson, 2000 publ. April 2000.
Credit: Michael Thompson

Liza Minnelli, by Mary Ellen Mark, December 2001 publ. March 2002.
Credit: Mary Ellen Mark

Liza Minnelli, by Mary Ellen Mark, December 2001 publ. March 2002.
Credit: Mary Ellen Mark

A Much Screened Lady - Gloria Swanson, by Edward Steichen, 1924 publ. February 1928.
Credit: Bequest of Edward Steichen by Direction of Joanna T. Steichen. Courtesy of George Eastman House

A Much Screened Lady - Gloria Swanson, by Edward Steichen, 1924 publ. February 1928.
Credit: Bequest of Edward Steichen by Direction of Joanna T. Steichen. Courtesy of George Eastman House

Hilary Swank, by Norman Jean Roy, December 2004 publ. March 2005.
Credit: Norman Jean Roy

Hilary Swank, by Norman Jean Roy, December 2004 publ. March 2005.
Credit: Norman Jean Roy

Jean Harlow at home, by George Hurrell, 1934 publ. January 1935.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Jean Harlow at home, by George Hurrell, 1934 publ. January 1935.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Jesse Owens, by Lusha Nelson, 1935 publ. September 1935.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Jesse Owens, by Lusha Nelson, 1935 publ. September 1935.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Martin Amis, by Nigel Parry, 1995 publ. May 1995.
Credit: Nigel Parry / CPI

Martin Amis, by Nigel Parry, 1995 publ. May 1995.
Credit: Nigel Parry / CPI

Philip Johnson wearing the PPG Building (costume designed and constructed by Joseph Hutchins, Works N. Y.), by Josef Astor, 1996 publ. July 1996.
Credit: Josef Astor

Philip Johnson wearing the PPG Building (costume designed and constructed by Joseph Hutchins, Works N. Y.), by Josef Astor, 1996 publ. July 1996.
Credit: Josef Astor

Anna May Wong, by Edward Steichen, 1930 publ. January 1931.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Anna May Wong, by Edward Steichen, 1930 publ. January 1931.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Joan Crawford, Santa Monica, by Nickolas Muray, 1929 publ. October 1929.
Credit: Gift of Mrs Nickolas Muray. Courtesy of George Eastman House

Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and Joan Crawford, Santa Monica, by Nickolas Muray, 1929 publ. October 1929.
Credit: Gift of Mrs Nickolas Muray. Courtesy of George Eastman House

Bette Davis, by Maurice Goldberg, 1934 publ. February 1935.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Bette Davis, by Maurice Goldberg, 1934 publ. February 1935.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Cary Grant, by George Hoyningen-Huene, 1934 publ. November 1934.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Cary Grant, by George Hoyningen-Huene, 1934 publ. November 1934.
Credit: Courtesy Condé Nast Archive

Hollywood Cover, by Annie Leibovitz, 2001 publ. April 2001.
Credit: Courtesy of the artist

Hollywood Cover, by Annie Leibovitz, 2001 publ. April 2001.
Credit: Courtesy of the artist

Louise Brooks, by Edward Steichen, 1928 publ. January 1929.
Credit: Bequest of Edward Steichen by Direction of Joanna T. Steichen. Courtesy of George Eastman House

Louise Brooks, by Edward Steichen, 1928 publ. January 1929.
Credit: Bequest of Edward Steichen by Direction of Joanna T. Steichen. Courtesy of George Eastman House

Katharine Hepburn, by Cecil Beaton, 1935 publ. July 1935.
Credit: The Cecil Beaton Studio Archive at Sotheby's, London

Katharine Hepburn, by Cecil Beaton, 1935 publ. July 1935.
Credit: The Cecil Beaton Studio Archive at Sotheby's, London

Louis Armstrong, by Anton Bruehl, 1935 publ. November 1935.
Credit: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Louis Armstrong, by Anton Bruehl, 1935 publ. November 1935.
Credit: National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

Related information

Mick Jagger, Madonna and Tony Curtis, 1997

Mick Jagger, Madonna and Tony Curtis, 1997

Mick Jagger, Madonna and Tony Curtis, 1997

The Vanity model

Magazine article by David Friend, 2009

Vanity Fair Editor David Friend describes how the rebirth of the magazine sated our desire for access into the lives of celebrities and set the standard for the new era of portrait photography.

Vanity Fair, April, 2004

Vanity Fair, April, 2004

Vanity Fair, April, 2004

International issue

Magazine article by Michael Desmond, 2009

Michael Desmond looks at the history of the Vanity Fair magazine in conjunction with the exhibition Vanity Fair Portraits: Photographs 1913-2008

The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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