Fernand Fonssagrives: Pioneering Beauty & Fashion Photography | The Artistic Legacy Behind the Lens

Fernand Fonssagrives (1910 - 2003) born near Paris, France. One of our greatest fashion photographers and one of the creators of what came to be Beauty Photography in the early 1940s. His most memorable work traces the unique partnership he had with his first wife, legendary model Lisa Fonssagrives (originally a dancer and the love of Fernand's youth, who then went on to marry Irving Penn). Lisa was in fact responsible for Fonssagrives picking up a camera - she gave him a Rollieflex, after his own dance career ended due to a diving injury; "It became," he said, "part of my body."

He becoming a noted photographer and her a noted model. They divorced in 1950.

Fernand Fonssagrives was at one point the highest paid photographer in New York. Hired by all the major fashion magazines Vogue, Harpers' Bazaar, Town & Contry and many more before he got tired of the creative industry's creative limitations and chose to retrain himself as a sculptor (like his father).

He died in 2003 at Little Rock, Arkansas.

Fernand Fonssagrives is a bit of a forgotten treasure that has fallen behind Irving Penn and Richard Avedon. They were all three major masters in fashion, portrait and beauty during the 40's fashion magazine boom.

Selected artworks from the shop

Le modele 1942 by Fernand Fonssagrives

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Light and Shadow 1956 by Fernand Fonssagrives

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Suzzette by Fernand Fonssagrives

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Jacque fath 1949-50 by Fernand Fonssagrives

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Perspective pointille 1956-58 by Fernand Fonssagrives

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The waist cincher by Fernand Fonssagrives

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Contours 1954-58 by Fernand Fonssagrives

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Elyana 1954 by Fernand Fonssagrives

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Hanes plisse 1958 by Fernand Fonssagrives

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Le modele Lisa 1942 by Fernand Fonssagrives

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Nip Up 1935 by Fernand Fonssagrives

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High-dive ardeche 1936 by Fernand Fonssagrives

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Taxi cab 1945 by Fernand Fonssagrives

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Leslie ames 1950 by Fernand Fonssagrives

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The dancer 1952 by Fernand Fonssagrives

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Get in touch.

Interested in more details or our exclusive collections? Contact us via email for all your inquiries. Dive into the elegance of Fernand Fonssagrives's photography with us!

fernand fonssagrives le modele 1942 lisa.jpg

fernand fonssagrives collection jacque fath 1949-50 lisa.jpg

fernand fonssagrives light and shadow 1956.jpg

The waist cincher fernand fonssagrives .jpg

suzzette fernand fonssagrives 1954-58.jpg

fernand fonssagrives perspective pointille 1956-58.jpg

fernand fonssagrives contours 1954-58.jpg

fernand fonssagrives hanes plisse´1958.jpg

fernand fonssagrives le modele lisa 1942.jpg

fernand fonssagrives high-dive ardeche 1936.jpg

fernand fonssagrives taxi-cab 1945 lisa.jpg

fernand fonssagrives leslie ames 1950.jpg

fernand fonssagrives the dancer 1952.jpg