JOHN FLOREA (American, 1916-2000). Marilyn Monroe, 1956. Dye-destruction, printed later. Paper: 16 x 20 inches (40.6 x 5...

Description

JOHN FLOREA (American, 1916-2000)
Marilyn Monroe, 1956
Dye-destruction, printed later
Paper: 16 x 20 inches (40.6 x 50.8 cm)
Image: 15-1/2 x 19-1/2 inches (39.3 cm x 49.5 cm)
Verso: artist's copyright stamp, signed and dated 1956, John Florea in ink
State: unmounted

Please see the web site description of this lot for more information about this important American photographer.

More Information:

John Florea enjoyed a varied and significant photographic career, but his work remains largely unknown to many collectors because most of his original images have been closely held by his estate. His career began in the 1930's when, before he was old enough to vote, Florea served as a Hearst staff cameraman. He was the youngest "Life" photographer in World War II, covering both Pacific and European theaters.

 

Travelling with the First Army, he was the first photographer to enter Buchenwald, and his images were so graphic and disturbing that Life's  publishers declined to run them until they received independent confirmation of their accuracy. Sent to the Pacific, he recorded the aftermath of Hiroshima, and shot Life's photographic record of Japan's surrender on the deck of the Battleship Missouri. Over 100 of his photos were published in "Time" or "Life" over the course of World War II.

 

After the War he covered the civil war in China, the Russian occupation of Manchuria, and other "gritty" subjects. He spent time in the Indonesian jungle with ragtag rebels led by a man named Sukarno, who would ultimately prevail to become president of the country. Sukarno was so grateful for the positive coverage of his revolution inspired by Florea's photos that upon becoming president he actually presented the cameraman with an Indonesian island as a token of his appreciation.

 

Florea was one of Douglas MacArthur's favorite photographers and  shot some of the best known images of the General, including one for a "Time Magazine" cover. Florea spent time photographing MacArthur in post-War Japan, where his daughter was privately tutored along with two other students: MacArthur's son, and the future Emperor of Japan.

 

Eventually he returned to the States, spending time photographing Harlem life before finally settling in Los Angeles, where he quickly found his niche as an entertainment photographer. A friendship with Marilyn Monroe led to more than ten magazine cover images shot by Florea. As a "Collier's Magazine" contributor he also found time to fly alongside the pioneering pilots seeking to break the sound barrier,  so that he could record the pilots' reactions.

 

One of his projects was the photographic documentation of the infant television industry. Florea became so taken with the medium that he became an Emmy Award-winning director with over 600 shows to his credit.

 

Florea's photographs have been displayed at the New York Museum of Modern Art and were published in Winston Churchill's autobiography. Steichen's renowned "Family of Man" also contains Florea images.

More information about Florea, John Artist.

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