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Dovima with Elephants, Evening Dress by Dior, Cirque d’Hiver, Paris, August 1955
Dovima with Elephants, Evening Dress by Dior, Cirque d’Hiver, Paris, August 1955

Dovima with Elephants, Evening Dress by Dior, Cirque d’Hiver, Paris, August 1955

Artist Richard Avedon (American, 1923 - 2004)
DateAugust 1955; printed ca. 1975
MediumGelatin silver print
DimensionsImage: 10 × 7 7/8 inches (25.4 × 20 cm)
Sheet: 14 × 10 15/16 inches (35.56 × 27.78 cm)
Credit LineGift of Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Object number2005.27.416
SignedSigned and editioned on sheet verso, bottom center, in pencil: "Avedon / 24/100"
InscribedOn sheet verso, lower left, stamped in black ink: "Dovima with elephants / Evening dress by Dior / Cirque d'Hiver, Paris / August 1955"
MarkingsOn sheet verso, lower left, stamped in black ink: "This image exists in the following edition sizes and numbers: / 10x8 inches Edition of 100 / [?]4x20 inches Edition of 50 / [?]9x40 inches Edition of 50 / 60x48 inches Edition of 15 / 82x65 inches Edition of 10 / No further prints will be made from this negative / with the exception of a limited number made / solely in connection with museum exhibitions." / "This photograph may not be reproduced / without written permission of Richard Avedon / Copyright © 1955 Richard Avedon / All Rights Reserved".
Edition/State/Proofed. 24/100
On View
Not on view
Collections
DescriptionPortrait of a woman in dark evening gown with white bow trim standing in front of two elephants. Her right hand is resting on one of the elephant's trunk, the other is outstretched.Exhibition History

Masters of 20th-Century Photography from the Hallmark Collection. Waterloo Municipal Galleries, Waterloo, IA, May 2 -June 13, 1982, no cat.

New Acquisitions to the Hallmark Photographic Collection, 1980-1983. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, April 1 –  May 1, 1983.

20th-Century Works from the Hallmark Photographic Collection.  Cottey College, Nevada, MO, January 9-27, 1984, no cat.

Rotation 1. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, June 17 – October 25, 2007, no cat.


Rotation 2. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, October 24, 2007 – March 19, 2008, no cat.

 

Rotation 12. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, March 28 – July 22, 2012, no cat.

Gallery Label
This iconic fashion photograph features the model Dovima, elegantly posed in a Dior evening gown designed by a 19-year-old Yves Saint Laurent. She stands with a group of elephants at the Cirque d’Hiver in Paris, one of the oldest circuses in Europe. Richard Avedon, working for Harper’s Bazaar, conceived the unusual juxtaposition after noticing the animals standing beneath a skylight. The contrast between the enormous creatures’ wrinkled skin and the sleek lines of the model’s gown came together through Avedon’s lens. The resulting surreal yet memorable image is far removed from the confines of conventional studio photography.
Provenance
Purchased from the artist by Hallmark Cards, Inc., Kansas City, MO, 1981;
Given by Hallmark Cards, Inc. to The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, MO, 2005.
Copyright© The Richard Avedon Foundation
Information about a particular artwork or image, including provenance information, is based upon historic information and may not be currently accurate or complete. Research on artwork and images is an ongoing process, and the information about a particular artwork or image may not reflect the most current information available to the Museum. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about a particular artwork or image, please e-mail provenance@nelson-atkins.org.