Jean Cocteau
Philippe Halsman
American, born Latvia. 1906–1979
1949
A gelatin silver portrait in which the photographer used mirrored profiles to fuse two side views into a single, surreal double-faced image that probes identity and performance.
At first you see a central, shadowed face formed by two opposing profiles—sharp, high-contrast lighting emphasizes skin texture, deep wrinkles and a theatrical, almost sculptural presence against a black ground.
Part of mid-20th-century portraiture experiments, this work pushes photography beyond likeness into staged psychological revelation, showing how lighting, mirrors and montage can make inner character visible.
Medium
Gelatin silver print
Dimensions
13 1/2 × 10 1/2" (34.3 × 26.7 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of the artist
Accession
185.1959
Palette
Exhibitions
