Visual analysis of richard avedon's photograph

Priscila Espinal
120073177
6/6/2010

“Renee, the New Look of Dior, Place de la Concorde, Paris, August, 1947”
Visual Analysis of Richard Avedon’s Photograph

Visual Analysis of RichardAvedon’s Photograph

“A photographic portrait is a picture of someone who knows he's being photographed, and what he does with this knowledge is as much a part of the photograph as what he's wearing or howhe looks” (Richard Avedon.) The picture above is one of the hundred and sixty works from the magnificent “Avedon Fashion 1944-2000” exhibit at the Norton Museum of Art created by Richard Avedon,legendary fashion photographer extraordinaire. Richard Avedon transformed photography in the post-World II era with his lively, creative images of modern women.
I choose the beautiful photograph printedabove taken from the Avedon foundation website, called “Renee, the New Look of Dior, Place de la Concorde, Paris, August 1947” out of a complete set of wonderful works because this picture reminded methe dignity given to women by God’s grace. Jesus tells the adulterous women to stand up and walk when men wanted to stoned her (John, 7:53-8:11.) Yet men in this picture are looking at her feelingadmiration giving women value over the society of the time. Renee was portrayed being so chic and elegant that all eyes are on her. Therefore, this displays a sense of admiration from men towards women,symbolizing that the women came out of the side of the man’s heart to be loved not trampled.
Avedon took this photo for Christian Dior’s new collection, as he thought women after the war werewearing uniforms and unadorned garments. Dior wanted to remind society women’s silhouettes through the styles of his clothes. While Avedon embraced what is to be a woman with this photograph, making Reneethe focus of the picture by isolating the subject from any content using a solid color background, white floor mosaics. Therefore, contrasting the black suit wear by Renee with a more pale color...