C'est Chic ! Sheila Metzner & Lillian Bassman

The exhibition ‘C’est Chic!’ brings together the works of Lillian Bassman and Sheila Metzner, two major figures in fashion photography. Discovered at Harper’s Bazaar, Bassman established a distinctive style as early as the 1940s, characterized by soft focus, deep contrasts, and refined silhouettes. In the 1990s, the reinterpretation of her negatives marked a revival of her work, driven by experimental darkroom techniques. In parallel, Sheila Metzner developed elegant, painterly compositions, which she enhanced using the Fresson printing process. The exhibition thus reveals two sensitive approaches in which the photographic print becomes a true space for experimentation and elegance.

Sheila Metzner, Rosemary bracelet, From Life, 1985 © Sheila Metzner / Courtesy La Galerie Rouge, Paris