Bert Stern: Marilyn Monroe: The Complete Last Sitting

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Bert Sternwas a New York-based photographer famous for his ‘Last Sitting’ photographs of Marilyn Monroe and his groundbreaking advertising photography.

Perhaps synchronicity is also at play with the images; in this candid and sensuous portrayal of the actress, the viewer gets to cherish her work one final time before Monroe’s untimely demise. I have nothing to fear," Kannamma said, "and I have no vested interest in being corrupt and the people see that." Forget those other femmes. The Monroe shots are what Stern will be remembered for, especially the ones Monroe mutilated with a hairpin. Just days before her death, Stern mailed color transparencies out to L.A. as a courtesy for Monroe. The woman went ahead and scratched up the ones she didn't like. Or else X-ed them with red magic marker. "Years later a wonderful art director from Harrod's [magazine] thought those particular photos were fabulous," Stern remembers. "He asked if they could publish them." Monroe's estate protested. Stern was unmoved. "Just because she scratched them out, doesn't mean she is the ultimate purveyor of my work. I hadn't signed any deal that she could destroy pictures she didn't like. They are my pictures."

Bert Stern was the last person to photograph Marilyn Monroe before she died, 39 years ago this month. An exclusive interview with Salon.

He writes very candidly in this book about his great desire to have Marilyn if he could. How did this go from a Vogue fashion shoot to a nude shoot?

This book presents the complete set of 2,571 photos. The monumental body of work by the master photographer and the Hollywood actress marks a climax in the history of star photography, both in quantity and quality. It is a unique affirmation of the erotic dimension of photography and the eroticism of taking photos, and it is the world's finest and largest tribute to Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jean, on June 1 in Los Angeles, California. She had just turned 36 at the time of the photo shoot. The year all of Bert’s dreams came true. He proposed shooting Marilyn for Vogue, and Vogue said yes.The legendary photographs of Marilyn Monroe from Bert Stern’s “The Last Sitting” are the subject of this exhibition at Staley-Wise Gallery.