Origins & Early Life

Irving Penn (June 16, 1917 – October 7, 2009) was an American photographer known for his fashion photography, portraits, and still lifes. Penn's career included work at Vogue magazine, and independent advertising work for clients including Issey Miyake and Clinique. His work has been exhibited internationally and continues to inform the art of photography. Penn was born to a Russian Jewish family on June 16, 1917, in Plainfield, New Jersey, to Harry Penn and Sonia Greenberg.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Penn's younger brother, Arthur Penn, was born in 1922 and would go on to become a film director and producer. Penn attended Abraham Lincoln High School where he studied graphic design with Leon Friend. Penn earned a diploma in 1938 from the Pennsylvania Museum School of Industrial Art (later the University of the Arts), where he had studied drawing, painting, graphics, and industrial arts under Alexey Brodovitch. While still a student, Penn worked under Brodovitch at Harper's Bazaar which published several of Penn's drawings. Penn worked as a freelance designer for three years, taking his first amateur photographs before assuming Brodovitch's position as the art director...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Arthur C. Clarke — Contemporary (Born in 1917) (1917): Pioneering science fiction writer, futurist, and popularizer of space travel.
• Auguste Rodin — Contemporary (Died in 1917) (1917): Founder of modern sculpture, celebrated for naturalism and emotional depth.
• Carson McCullers — Contemporary (Born in 1917) (1917): American novelist known for Southern Gothic explorations of isolation and outcasts.
• Aage Bohr — Contemporary (Died in 2009) (2009): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Al Martino — Contemporary (Died in 2009) (2009): Iconic Italian-American crooner, celebrated for standards and his role in The Godfather.
• Ali Akbar Khan — Contemporary (Died in 2009) (2009): Master sarod virtuoso who popularized Hindustani classical music in the West.
• BabyTron — Shared historical date (06-16 · Born) (2000): American rapper known for his distinctive style and rise in the Detroit hip hop scene.
• Barbara McClintock — Shared historical date (06-16 · Born) (1902): Pioneering cytogeneticist known for discovering maize transposons and genetic recombination.
• Abd al-Rahman ibn Abd Allah al-Ghafiqi — Shared historical date (10-07 · Died) (732): Umayyad commander who led Andalusian forces against the Franks, dying at Tours.
• Allan Bloom — Shared historical date (10-07 · Died) (1992): American philosopher and classicist known for championing Great Books education.
• 1917 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1917
• June 16 (06-16) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on June 16
• 2009 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2009
• October 7 (10-07) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on October 7