Iceland Poppy / Papaver Nudicaule (G), New York, 2006

Throughout a remarkable career that spanned nearly eighty years, Irving Penn secured himself as one of the leading photographers of the 20th Century, consistently reflecting his mastery of multiple genres, from fashion to still-life and, indeed, flowers. The flowers series began while on assignment for Vogue, when, over seven consecutive December issues, Penn devoted each one to a particular flower – the Iceland Poppy’s issue printed in 1969. In keeping with his trademark minimalist aesthetic, Penn stripped the flower of its traditional context and associations, namely, a romantic bouquet or a traditional centerpiece. Instead, each was presented in a fresh, modern way, encouraging viewers to focus on the petals’ undulating edges, the glimmer of the water droplets, the wide range of sumptuous colors, and the velvety texture of each flower. This was Penn’s consistent methodology, which lent itself naturally to presenting something as ordinary and familiar as a flower as an extraordinary, sculptural objet d’art.