Marilyn

The Museo Ferragamo in Florence pays homage to Marilyn Monroe with a major exhibition and a catalog dedicated to her a half century after her death. Like many divas of the silver screen, Marilyn Monroe loved to wear Salvatore Ferragamo shoes. The exhibition and catalogue dedicated to her are the result of long research and preparatory work, presenting items from the actress’s wardrobe worn on the set or in her private life, as well as important documents that reveal the actress’s managerial side, her skill and determination in building and grooming her success. In this volume, the curators have sought to interpret a comprehensive collection of famous photographs taken in Marilyn’s day-to-day life (by such notable photographers as Beaton, Stern, Barris, Greene) that portray Marilyn in "classic" poses by comparing them with famous works of art from the past that represent similar poses and expressions, from the balanced pathos of French painter Jean-Baptiste Greuze’s Alessandro morente to Botticelli’s Venus. The catalog gathers together all the photos of clothing and Ferragamo footwear, the documents in the exhibition, and a very large group of photographs and exceptional works of art from such prestigious institutions as the Museo Canova and the Warhol Foundation, and from private collections in Italy and abroad. The catalog also includes essays addressing such themes as classic and modern beauty, Marilyn’s biography, and her relationship with other women, as well as an introduction by Stefania Ricci and Sergio Risaliti, exhibition curators.