The exhibition

Organized by the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson in collaboration with The Richard Avedon Foundation, this landmark retrospective dedicated to Richard Avedon brings to Palazzo Esposizioni in Rome the iconic portrait series commissioned by the Amon Carter Museum of American Art in Fort Worth, Texas, which culminated in the seminal 1985 photobook In the American West (published by Harry N. Abrams).
By the late 1970s, Richard Avedon was already a legendary figure in global photography, renowned for his revolutionary fashion work in Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, as well as his striking portraits of prominent artists and public figures. Following major retrospectives at the Smithsonian Institution (1962) and the Metropolitan Museum of Art (1978), Avedon embarked on a powerful new visual journey.
It all began in Montana in 1978 with a portrait of a ranch foreman. Published in Newsweek, the image caught the attention of Mitchell A. Wilder, then director of the Amon Carter Museum, who invited Avedon to launch a massive project focused on the American West.
Between 1979 and 1984, Avedon traveled across 21 western states—from Colorado and Montana to Wyoming, Texas, and California. He sought out subjects in truck stops, cattle markets, mining camps, oil fields, county fairs, rodeos, and carnivals.
Portraiting over a thousand people, Avedon employed a rigorous and minimalist technique: a simple white seamless backdrop set up outdoors strictly in the shade, using no artificial lighting. Stripped of environmental context, his subjects stand in a pure, unvarnished relationship with the camera. The result is a profoundly moving human portrait that captures the social and economic shifts of a nation.

In addition to the 110 official photographs featured in the original publication, the exhibition at Palazzo Esposizioni offers a rare behind-the-scenes look into the artist’s creative process. Visitors can explore exclusive archival materials provided by The Richard Avedon Foundation, including handwritten notes, working Polaroids, research documents, and personal letters between Avedon and his subjects.

Do not miss the exhibition dedicated to Richard Avedon and book your stay in Rome at 47 Boutique Hotel.