Saturday, February 21, 2026

Fame (Erstwhile)

Rudolf Eickemeyer
Evelyn Nesbit
1901
platinum print
National Museum of American History, Washington DC


Alfred J. Frueh
Lillian Russell
ca. 1917
hand-colored linocut
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Arnold Genthe
Minnie Maddern Fiske
ca. 1920
gelatin silver print
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Durr Freedley
Boni de Castellane
ca. 1920
oil and tempera on board
Indianapolis Museum of Art

Nickolas Muray
Gertrude Lawrence
1920
gelatin silver print
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Margrethe Mather
Lilyan Tashman
ca. 1927
gelatin silver print
Los Angeles County Museum of Art

Samuel Woolf
Curtis Bok
1933
charcoal on paper
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Anonymous Printmaker
Fay Wray - Cinema Card
1934
hand-colored offset print
National Museum of American History, Washington DC

George Hurrell
Gene Tierney
1944
gelatin silver print
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Boris Chaliapin
Mel Patton
1948
gouache on board
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Fruhauf-Aline-
Herblock (Herbert Lawrence Block)
ca. 1949
ink and watercolor on paper
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Anonymous-print-USA-
Mary Hartline Paper Dolls
ca. 1950-55
die-cut offset prints
National Museum of American History, Washington DC

W. Eugene Smith
Helen Traubel and Fritz Reiner
1951
gelatin silver print
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Norman Gorbaty
Willy Brandt
1969
woodcut-
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Anonymous Photographer
Patty Hearst
1975
gelatin silver print
(version printed by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Anonymous Photographer
Squeaky Fromme
1975
C-print
(version printed by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Ken Regan
Bill Graham
1975
gelatin silver print
National Museum of American History, Washington DC

from Divine Epigrams


        Neither durst any man from that Day aske him any more Questions.

Midst all the dark and knotty Snares,
Blacke wit or malice can or dares,
Thy glorious wisdome breakes the Nets,
And treads with uncontrouled steps. 
Thy quel'd foes are not onely now
Thy triumphes, but thy Trophies too:
They, both at once thy Conquests bee,
And thy Conquests memorye.
Stony amazement makes them stand
Waiting on thy victorious hand,
Like statues fixed to the fame
Of thy renoune, and their owne shame.
As if they onely meant to breath,
To bee the Life of their owne Death.
'Twas time to hold their Peace when they,
Had nere another word to say:
Yet is their silence unto thee,
The full sound of thy victory.
Their silence speakes aloud, and is
Thy well pronounc'd Panegyris.
While they speake nothing, they speake all
Their share, in thy Memoriall.
While they speake nothing, they proclaime
Thee, with the shrillest Trumpe of fame.
        To hold their peace is all the waies
        These wretches have to speake their praise.

– Richard Crashaw, Steps to the Temple (1648)