roe vamping in her backyard; John F. Kennedy
clowning with his little daughter Caroline; Albert
Einstein lecturing to a class of physicists at Prince-
ton; Sophia Loren—Eisie’s favorite model—wear-
ing a negligee in a cover shot that caused someLife
readers to cancel their subscriptions. No matter
how famous or notorious the subject, Eisenstaedt
was at ease with them. ‘‘In 1938 our picture editor,
Wilson Hicks, told me, ‘Alfred, I’m sending you to
Hollywood. Don’t be afraid and in awe of these
queens—you are a king in your profession.’ I’ve
never forgotten that.’’
He did, however, allow himself to ask for a few
autographs, and treasured a collection that includes
notes from artist Norman Rockwell, Secretary of
State Henry Kissinger, and actress Lillian Gish.
In 1979, at age 81, Eisenstaedt returned to Ger-
many for the first time. An exhibition of 93 photo-
graphs of German life from the 1930s through that
year traveled through Europe and the United
States. Remarkably, Eisenstaedt’s first major retro-
spective did not come until 1986 at age 88 when the
International Center of Photography in New York
presented 125 of his prints.
Eisenstaedt has received numerous awards for
his work including the National Medal of the
Arts, the International Understanding Award for
Outstanding Achievement, the Photographic So-
ciety of America Achievement Award, and Pho-
tographer of the Year, Encyclopedia Britannica.
Timeheralded Eisenstaedt’sV-J Day, Times Square,
1945 as one of the 10 greatest images in the history
of photojournalism.
The city of New York named an Alfred Eisen-
staedt Day in his honor and the International
Center for Photography (ICP) recognized Eisen-
staedt with its Master of Photography award in
- President George H. W. Bush bestowed on
him the National Medal of Arts in 1989. Far
from resting on his laurels, Eisie continued to
take commissions: when President Clinton vaca-
tioned on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts in
1994 where Eisie made his home, he was there to
photograph the first family, and to present them
with their choice of his prints as a gift. Bill Clin-
ton choseDrum Major at the University of Michi-
gan of 1951, and his daughter Chelsea picked
Future Ballerinas of the American Ballet Theatre
of 1936.
At the opening of his shows, photographers who
looked up to Eisie would ask to take their pictures
with him, and perhaps to get some advice. Mod-
estly, Eisie would say, ‘‘When the young photogra-
phers come...I ask them questions. They know
more about the modern cameras than I do.’’
In 1994,LifeandVanity Fairran portraits of
Eisie on the Brooklyn Bridge by Annie Leibovitz.
‘‘He was telling me what to do during the entire
shoot,’’ recalled Leibovitz. ‘‘But then he’d say this
is your picture, do whatever you want.’’ Eisie did
choose the location, though, ‘‘because I am still
younger than the Brooklyn Bridge,’’ he told the
New York Times.
A fellow photographer and laterLife’s director
of photography, John Loengard, explained Eisen-
staedt’s enduring success: ‘‘He never tries to please
editors. He only makes pictures that please him.’’
For some 60 years, Life readers were the be-
neficiaries of those pictures, a life’s work that was
also his pleasure. Alfred Eisenstaedt died in
Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, on August 23,- His photographs are in the permanent collec-
tions of the Royal Photographic Society, London;
the International Center of Photography, New
York; the International Museum of Photography
and Film, George Eastman House, Rochester, New
York; and the National Gallery of Canada,
Ottawa.
SUVASHKUMERBarman
Seealso:History of Photography: Twentieth-Cen-
tury Pioneers; Life Magazine; Portraiture
Biography
Born in Dirschau, West Prussia (now part of Poland), 6
December 1898. At the age of 14, received an Eastman
Kodak no. 3 folding camera. Attended Hohenzollern
Gymnasium, Berlin, 1906–1912; University of Berlin,
1913–1916. Drafted in to the German army, 1916, ser-
ving at the front until 9 April 1918. Belt and button
salesman 1922. Sold his first photo toDer Weltspiegel,- Worked as a freelancer for Pacific and Atlantic
Photo, 1929; Associated Press, 1931. Sent to Italy to
shoot the first meeting of Hitler and Mussolini, 1933.
Emigrated to the United States and became one of the
four original photographers at Life, 1935. Photo-
graphed in Hollywood, 1938. Became a U.S. citizen
and traveled overseas to document the effects of the
war, 1942. Marriage to Kathy Kaye, 1949. Traveled to
Korea with American troops, 1950, and went on to
Italy and England. Returned to Germany, 1979. Inter-
national Center of Photography (1CP) Master of
Photography award, 1988. National Medal of the
Arts, 1989. Died in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts,
23 August 1995.
Individual Exhibitions
1954 Alfred Eisenstaedt; George Eastman House, Roches-
ter, New York
1966 Witness to Our Time; Time-Life Building; New York,
New York and Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.
1979 Alfred Eisenstaedt: German Life; U.S. and travelingEISENSTAEDT, ALFRED