Margie Cato, Test Shoot, New York

c. 1950's

Gelatin Silver Print

Lillian Bassman (Brooklyn, New York, USA, born 1917) is one of the great 20th century fashion photographers along with Irving Penn and Richiard Avedon. She began her life not as a photographer but as a painter at the WPA until taking courses at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. In 1945, Bassman was appointed Art Director at Junior Bazaar, giving projects to photographers such as Richard Avedon, Robert Frank and Paul Himmel (her late husband) and later, in 1947, she became the Art Director at Harper’s Bazaar. Her work appeared in Harper’s Bazaar in the 1940’s and 50’s, and was nearly destroyed in the 70’s by a water leak in her studio. It was not until the 1990’s that her work experienced a revival. With this new spotlight, Bassman received the Agfa Life Time Achievement Award and the Dem Art Directors Club Award in 1996. During the same year, Bassman begins photographing again when asked to photograph the Haute Couture collection for New York Times Magazine, and the Autumn Collection for Neiman Marcus, as well as work for German Vogue. She has exhibited her work worldwide. At 93 years old, Bassman continues to live and work in New York City.