Douglas Kirkland's Legendary Marilyn Monroe Shoot Reissued by Damiani

In 1961, photographer Douglas Kirkland, then a recent hire at Look Magazine, was assigned to photograph Marilyn Monroe for the publication's 25th anniversary special. On a dark November night, Monroe took control of the session, requesting Dom Pérignon champagne, Frank Sinatra records, and white silk sheets. Kirkland, who described himself as shy, recalled that Monroe slipped out of her robe and under the sheets, dictating the terms of the shoot. The resulting photographs, later compiled under the title "An Evening with Marilyn," captured a playful and vulnerable side of the star, diverging from her typical glamorous poses. This session catapulted Kirkland into the ranks of top celebrity photographers. Less than a year later, Monroe died on August 4, 1962, making these images among the last intimate portraits of her. To mark the centenary of Monroe's birth, Damiani Books has published "Douglas Kirkland: Marilyn. A Magical Dance," a new Leporello-format edition that revisits the entire 1961 session, accompanied by Kirkland's handwritten reflections on that evening.