This is the second program in the Mid-Century Master lecture series.

Although he is most remembered for his photojournalism featuring seminal events and distinguished personalities, LIFE magazine photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt contributed to twentieth-century fashion media by capturing some of societies’ best-dressed, trend-setting actors, and editorial features for Vogue, Town & Country, and LIFE. From fashion shoots with Marlena Dietrich in her ground-breaking tuxedo in 1930s Europe to American icons such as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and Marjorie Merriweather Post, this lecture will expand upon the special exhibition, Mid-Century Master: The Photography of Alfred Eisenstaedt with an in-depth look on this lesser-explored facet of Eisenstaedt’s work. 

EVENT TIMELINE

5:30-6:30 p.m. | Mid-Century Master, mansion, gardens, and greenhouse open for self-guided touring.
6-6:30 p.m. | Members-only wine and cheese reception. Join today!
6:30-7:30 p.m. | Lecture.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER

Megan J. Martinelli became Hillwood’s assistant curator of apparel, jewelry, and accessories in January 2018. Previously, Megan was a research assistant at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute, where she contributed to internal object assessment research and assisted with exhibitions including “China: Through the Looking Glass” (2015) and “Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology” (2016). Before joining The Met, Megan curated an exhibition titled “The Other White Dress: Non-Wedding Dresses of the Twenty-First Century” (2014) at the University of Rhode Island’s Historic Textile Gallery and contributed to “Artist, Rebel, Dandy: Men of Fashion” (2013) at The RISD Museum of Art.  Megan holds a MS in historic textiles and costumes from the University of Rhode Island and a BA in English literature from Providence College.

ABOUT THE SERIES

Alfred Eisenstaedt was among a notable group of mid-century photographers who created a cohesive and vibrant understanding of American culture through photography, fine art, and fashion. 

October 3 | Women Looking at Women: LIFE Magazine’s Female Photographers and their Images of American Women in the Context of World War II with Alissa Schapiro

October 10 | Mid-Century Muses: Looking at Fashion in the Photography of Alfred Eisenstaedt with Megan J. Martinelli

October 16 | Ultimate Insiders: White House Photographers and How They Shape History with Kenneth T. Walsh

October 24 | Life in the Art World: LIFE Magazine and Modern American Art with Melissa Renn