Horst P. Horst portraits

My favourite portraits by Horst P. Horst. He's best known as a fashion photographer, but his portraits show great psychological insight. He was at home, of course, with the "smart set", but also among theatrical folk and intellectuals.

Babe Paley for Vogue, 1946

"Mrs. P. had only one fault: she was perfect; otherwise, she was perfect."

- Truman Capote

Louis Jourdan for Vogue, 1946

Alberto Moravia for Vogue

Horst P. Horst's Vogue portrait of Gloria Vanderbilt from 1942. The 18-year-old is wearing one of Howard Greer's "table top dresses", designed to look good in magazine shots like this.

Carlos Chávez for Vogue, 1946

Lisa Fonssagrives and Irving Penn, 1951

Horst P. Horst's self-portrait with Gertrude Stein (with a painting of her poodle Basket), 1946

Jessica Tandy for Vogue, 1939

Horst P. Horst's wonderful portrait of the late Ned Rorem, from 1956. #RIP 

Truman Capote for Vogue, November 1965

Cy Twombly with his 1928 Alfa Romeo in the courtyard of his apartment in a palazzo in Rome, Vogue, 1966

Loretta Young by Horst P. Horst, modern print from original negative, 1941

National Portrait Gallery, London

Edith Sitwell by Horst P. Horst, modern print from original negative, 1948

National Portrait Gallery, London

Roy Lichtenstein by Horst P. Horst, modern print from original negative, 1978

National Portrait Gallery, London

Duran Duran by Horst P. Horst, modern print from original negative, 1986

National Portrait Gallery, London

A great shot of Horst P. Horst photographing Carmen Dell’Orefice, by Leonard McCombe, 1947

A great portrait of Horst P. Horst by Michael Somoroff, from his book A Moment. Master Photographers: Portraits by Michael Somoroff

Horst P. Horst by John Swannell, Iris print, 1986

National Portrait Gallery, London