Irving Penn captured this stunning portrait of his wife Lisa Fonssagrives in 1951, just one year into their marriage. In 1952, the image appeared in Vogue alongside a travel piece about Morocco with the following caption:

“The oldest and simplest system of insulation in the world—the burnoose—photographed by Vogue's photographer, Irving Penn, on a trip to Morocco. Because the burnoose is such handsome proof against both heat and cold, because it could be worn in almost any country over a bathing suit, an evening dress, even over ski clothes, it has been translated by Jean Dessès, in a water-repellent blend of Celanese acetate and wool in a remarkable colour, a piercing sky blue.”

The present lot is a testament to Lisa Fonssagrives’ eternal beauty and reputation as the original supermodel. She was forty years old at the time of this photograph and, though nearing the end of her modeling career, Penn continued to present her in some of his most important works, including Harlequin Dress, Cocoa-Colored Balenciaga Dress, and Woman with Roses on her Arm.