New York photographer Ed Feingersh produced some
of the most beautiful Marilyn Monroe shots there are,
such as the icon Chanel No. 5 : Marilyn in her New
York hotel suite putting the finishing touches to her
evening attire with a touch of perfume for her
décolleté.
In 1955 she retreated to her exile in New York to
avoid the constraints of her contract with Twentieth
Century Fox and to take acting lessons with Lee
Strasberg. For one whole week, Feingersh observed
29-year old Marilyn during her private and public life
in New York. He followed her on her wanders through
the city, joined her at costume fittings and at the
Actors Studio, was along for an incognito jaunt on
the subway and during her legendary ride on the
pink elephant in Madison Square Garden. What he
cap tured was the truly beautiful Marilyn Monroe
oscillat ing between new self-confidence and extreme
vulnerabi lity, who could be relaxed and joyful one
moment, contemplative, dreamy and sad the next
Marilyn the person, as it were.