Released in conjunction with an exhibition at London's Victoria and Albert Museum, this striking selection of more than 150 photos presents the oeuvre of Lee Miller—model, photographer, surrealist, actor and war correspondent. Published on the centenary of her birth, the book features the largest published collection of Miller's output on both sides of the camera, as well as a comprehensive examination of her life and art. As a model for Vogue
in the late 1920s, Miller posed for such giants as Edward Steichen and George Hoyningen-Heune. In 1929, she sought out Man Ray as a mentor in Paris and promptly became his apprentice and lover. She went on to distinguish herself across genres, shooting surrealist images, advertising, travel reportage and photojournalism as the only accredited female photo-reporter active in WWII combat areas. Nearly impossible to pigeonhole, Miller shot celebrity portraits with a surrealist sensibility—Chaplin balancing a chandelier on his head—and she composed surrealist images that demand an emotional connection—a severed breast served on a dinner plate. Fusing a compelling account of her storied life, a thorough analysis of her photographic accomplishments, and a handsomely illustrated collection of her work, this book affirms Miller's status as one of the most dynamic figures in 20th-century photography. (May)
