Philippe Halsman and the Art of the Portrait

If someone mentions Salvador Dalí, Marilyn Monroe, or Albert Einstein, chances are the image that comes to mind is one of the iconic Philippe Halsman portraits. The legendary photographer captured some of the most influential people of the 20th century. But did you know the talented artist was born and spent his formative years in Riga?

Riga, 1906: An Artist is Born

It was on May 2, 1906 when Philippe Halsman, one of the most successful future photographers of the 20th century, was born in Riga. His mother, Ita Grintuch, a teacher, and his father, Max Halsman, a dentist, provided a protected and nurturing environment for Philippe and his younger sister, Liouba.

In the summers, the family traveled across Europe and visited the continent’s most notable museums. It was during these trips that Philippe first developed an appreciation for portraiture.

At 15, he discovered his father’s old view-camera in the attic. Philippe then saved up his allowance to buy an instruction book and some glass plates for capturing his first portraits of his sister by the window. As he recalls in his autobiography, developing those early images in the family bathroom was magical:

“In the dim red light I watched, wide-eyed, a miracle: the gradual appearance of dark outlines on the milky surface of my plate – forming the first photographic image I had ever taken.”

The Study of Faces

Although the “photography virus” had overtaken him, Philippe Halsman initially made the pragmatic choice to pursue electrical engineering. Yet the reality proved too dry and uninspiring for the young visionary. Visiting Paris was the final spark that helped him fully realize that his true path lay in the life of an artist.

Though photography was still in its infancy and far from a practical career choice, the aspiring artist pursued it with vision, confidence, and passion. Experimenting with his first floodlights, he realized the potential of lighting and began establishing his signature sharpness. As he helped a fellow aspiring actor build a compelling and diverse portfolio, the photographer recognized that his work could have real influence.

His education came in handy too – he invented a gadget that could halve the picture-taking time, created a camera he could look through instead of sitting beside it, and introduced other innovations. Step by step, he honed his craft and contributed to the canon of classical photography. France answered his passion – he became noticed by celebrities, popular magazines, and exhibition spaces.

A Flash of Starlight

Halsman’s success in Paris was cut short by World War II, forcing the family to flee to the United States. There, they had to start over. With two small children, no friends or financial security, little knowledge of English, and Halsman’s name carrying no weight, the family, crowded in a single room in a boarding house, struggled at first.

About a year later came the breakthrough. A portrait Halsman had taken pro bono of a novice model, Connie Ford, caught the attention of beauty entrepreneur Elizabeth Arden. The image – Ford’s profile set against an American flag, photographed in Halsman’s modest room – was used in Arden’s “Victory Red” lipstick campaign and quickly spread across the country.

His career accelerated. Halsman’s work appeared on the cover of LIFE magazine – ultimately an unmatched 101 times. He photographed celebrities, politicians, and artists alike: Audrey Hepburn, Frank Sinatra, Alfred Hitchcock, Winston Churchill, and many others. A creative collaboration and friendship with Salvador Dalí followed, producing iconic images such as Dalí Atomicus and VoluptateMors.

Philippe Halsman was (and remains) widely exhibited, published, and recognized as one of the premier portraitists of the century. It is hardly surprising: he dedicated his life to uncovering the human essence through the lens of a camera. In his own words, a portrait is “the image which reveals most completely both the exterior and the interior of the subject.”

Today, Philippe Halsman’s photos are held in major collections around the world, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Harvard University. His legacy endures in Latvia as well – a memorial sculpture and plaque on the wall of the Museum of Decorative Arts and Design in Riga honor the Riga-born photographer. His legacy continues on the official Philippe Halsman Facebook and Instagram pages.