Lee Miller Paintings

Elizabeth 'Lee' Miller was born on April 23, 1907, in Poughkeepsie, New York. She was an American photographer and photojournalist, renowned for her work in fashion photography, portraits, and her documentation of the Second World War. Miller's career began in New York City where she was introduced to photography by her father, Theodore Miller, an amateur photographer, who instilled in her a passion for the art form at a young age.

In 1929, after a stint as a successful fashion model in New York, Miller traveled to Paris where she sought out the surrealist artist and photographer Man Ray, becoming his student, muse, and collaborator. She quickly became an accomplished photographer in her own right. During her time in Paris, she became part of the surrealist movement and was associated with artists such as Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau.

Miller returned to New York in 1932 and established her own photography studio. She had a successful career in fashion and commercial photography but moved to London in 1939. With the outbreak of World War II, her focus shifted dramatically. She became a photojournalist for Vogue, documenting the war and its impact. Miller covered significant events including the London Blitz, the liberation of Paris, and the concentration camps at Buchenwald and Dachau.

After the war, Miller's photography career waned, and she suffered from what would now likely be recognized as post-traumatic stress disorder. She eventually settled in Sussex, England, with her husband, the British surrealist painter Roland Penrose, and their son Antony Penrose. Despite her declining interest in photography, her earlier works continued to be influential.

Lee Miller passed away from cancer on July 21, 1977, at the age of 70. Her contributions to both fashion photography and war photojournalism have been celebrated posthumously, and her work continues to be exhibited and studied for its unique blend of surrealism and realism, as well as its historical significance.