Rare vintage matte-finish 11 x 14 portrait photo of Monroe taken during a Frank Powolny glamour shoot in 1953, signed and inscribed in bold black ink, “To Dear little Effie, I love you, Marilyn.” The consignor notes that the photograph was signed for Effie, the sister of Anne Karger, who was the mother of Monroe's voice coach, Freddie Karger. In fine condition, with somewhat irregular silvering to the dark perimeter areas of the image.
Enhanced by its atypical size and gorgeous wide-eyed pose, this is an exquisite depiction of the Hollywood starlet as part of Frank Powolny's gorgeous publicity stills for the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Most famously associated with his classic World War II pinup of Betty Grable, Powolny remained a trusted photographer for Monroe throughout her career and is noted as taking the last known still photographs of the starlet during the production of Something's Got to Give, one week before her death in 1962. An uncommon, mesmerizing image of the iconic actress.
Provenance: Julien’s Auctions: Property from the Estate of Patrick Swayze and Hollywood Legends, April 2017.
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