The name Marilyn Monroe conjures images of a glamorous Hollywood icon. We see the blonde bombshell, the seductive starlet, the embodiment of 1950s beauty. But what about the woman behind the image? What about the vulnerabilities, the quiet moments, the real Marilyn? That’s where Eve Arnold’s photographs step in.
A Rare Glimpse Behind the Curtain
Eve Arnold, a pioneering photojournalist, had a unique gift for capturing people unguarded. When she turned her lens on Marilyn Monroe, she didn’t just see the star. She saw a woman with depth, a woman with insecurities, a woman trying to navigate the spotlight.
Arnold’s photos of Monroe are strikingly different from the usual studio shots. They’re not posed or polished. They’re candid, intimate, and full of raw emotion. In one photo, Monroe sits on a bed, her face buried in her hands, a look of pure exhaustion etched across her features. In another, she stands on a beach, wind whipping through her hair, a faraway look in her eyes. These are not the images we’re used to seeing of Marilyn, but they are perhaps the most truthful.
Arnold and Monroe’s were friends, and confidantes. This trust is evident in the photographs. Monroe allowed Arnold into her private spaces, her dressing room, her hotel room, even her thoughts.
This intimacy translates to the images. We see Monroe curled up on a couch, reading a script, a rare moment of quiet concentration. We see her laughing with her husband, Arthur Miller, a genuine moment of joy. We even see her vulnerabilities, like the photo where she hides her face behind a scarf, seemingly seeking refuge from the world.
