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Uma. Patou Dress (detail), 1986, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Purchased with funds provided by the Photographs Council. © Sheila Metzner Uma. Patou Dress (detail), 1986, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Purchased with funds provided by the Photographs Council. © Sheila Metzner

This exhibition celebrates the artistry of the internationally acclaimed American photographer Sheila Metzner, who made her mark on the history of late 20th-century photography in the areas of fashion and still life. Metzner’s unique style blends aspects of Pictorialism and Modernism to forge an aesthetic that not only stands out in the history of photography, but became closely associated with the best of 1980s fashion, beauty, and decorative arts trends.

This exhibition is presented in English and Spanish. Esta exhibición se presenta en inglés y en español.

Selected Works

Lisa. Red Jumpsuit, 1980, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum. © Sheila Metzner

Lisa. Red Jumpsuit, 1980, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum. © Sheila Metzner

 White Anthuriums. Gray Vase, 1980, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum. © Sheila Metzner

White Anthuriums. Gray Vase, 1980, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum. © Sheila Metzner

 Robert Mapplethorpe, 1984, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Gift of The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation to the J. Paul Getty Trust and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. © Sheila Metzner

Robert Mapplethorpe, 1984, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Gift of The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation to the J. Paul Getty Trust and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. © Sheila Metzner

 Campidoglio. Fendi, 1986, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner

Campidoglio. Fendi, 1986, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner

 Volta, 1988, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Collection of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner

Volta, 1988, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Collection of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner

 Man Ray. Tulip, 1988, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Jack Shear. © Sheila Metzner

Man Ray. Tulip, 1988, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Jack Shear. © Sheila Metzner

 Brooklyn Bridge, from the series Hokusai, 2007, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Jack Shear. © Sheila Metzner

Brooklyn Bridge, from the series Hokusai, 2007, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Jack Shear. © Sheila Metzner

 Awesome God of Ice. Alaska, 1992, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner

Awesome God of Ice. Alaska, 1992, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner
Campidoglio. Fendi, 1986, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner
Volta, 1988, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Collection of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner
Man Ray. Tulip, 1988, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Jack Shear. © Sheila Metzner
Brooklyn Bridge, from the series Hokusai, 2007, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Jack Shear. © Sheila Metzner
Awesome God of Ice. Alaska, 1992, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner
Lisa. Red Jumpsuit, 1980, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum. © Sheila Metzner
White Anthuriums. Gray Vase, 1980, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum. © Sheila Metzner
Robert Mapplethorpe, 1984, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Gift of The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation to the J. Paul Getty Trust and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. © Sheila Metzner
Campidoglio. Fendi, 1986, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner
Volta, 1988, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Collection of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner
Man Ray. Tulip, 1988, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Jack Shear. © Sheila Metzner
Brooklyn Bridge, from the series Hokusai, 2007, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Jack Shear. © Sheila Metzner
Awesome God of Ice. Alaska, 1992, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner
Lisa. Red Jumpsuit, 1980, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum. © Sheila Metzner
White Anthuriums. Gray Vase, 1980, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum. © Sheila Metzner
Robert Mapplethorpe, 1984, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Gift of The Robert Mapplethorpe Foundation to the J. Paul Getty Trust and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. © Sheila Metzner
Campidoglio. Fendi, 1986, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum, Gift of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner
Volta, 1988, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Collection of Sheila Metzner. © Sheila Metzner
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Lisa. Red Jumpsuit, 1980, Sheila Metzner. Pigment print. Getty Museum. © Sheila Metzner

Publications

Sheila Metzner: From Life

Fashion and portrait photographer Sheila Metzner presents her life’s work, including her intimate family portraits in 1960s Woodstock, fashion editorials, nudes, and sacred landscapes.

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Listen to photographer Sheila Metzner discuss her initial images of her family as well as the iconic fashion and fragrance ads she made in the 1980s.

Available in English and Spanish.

Experience the free audio tour on your mobile phone. Download the GettyGuide app. Bring your earphones and join GettyLink for free Wi-Fi during your visit.

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Exhibition Resources

Learn more about the exhibition.

Gallery Text

To request a checklist of objects, please contact: photographs@getty.edu.

Information on Getty Museum works of art can be found through a collection search

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