William Helburn, known for his contributions to the creative revolution of advertising in the 1950s and 1960s, always aimed to capture the viewer's attention. Shot for a fashion ad, models Dovima and Jean Patchett, dressed and styled in classic mid-century fashion, ride on top of a bus in New York City for: “The Skirt’s the Thing” - Harper’s Bazaar, December 1958 - Madison Square, NY.
William Helburn, Bus Top, 1958 New York. Selenium Toned Gelatin Silver Print. Sheet size: 36" x 34" | Image size: 32.4" x 30." Edition: 3/25. Printed 2022. Signed by the Helburn estate.
The work is accompanied by an estate label, signed by the estate (sons) Hardy and William Helburn.
Literature:
William Helburn: Seventh and Madison, London, 2014, p.85.
American Goddess: Jean Patchett, Power House Books, 2019, p.160-161.
Provenance: Private Collector
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Artist’s Bio:
A contemporary of Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Lillian Bassman and Horst P. Horst, William Helburn (1924-2020) hailed from New York City. After serving in the Pacific in World War II, Helburn was inspired to become a fashion photographer. Helburn would go on to study with Harper's Bazaar art director Alexey Brodovitch at his Design Workshop. This led to a 10-page assignment for Bazaar that helped launch his career. Helburn published thousands of images and won dozens of awards for his fashion and advertising photography. A book on his photography “William Helburn –Seventh and Madison" was published in 2014. "Fashion photography is, singularly, the most creative form of photography there is," said Helburn on the art of fashion.
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