Musical People

Boris Chaliapin
Charles Munch
1949
tempera on board
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Henry Koerner
Maria Callas
1956
oil on canvas
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Boris Chaliapin
Renata Tebaldi
1958
tempera on board
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Henry Koerner
Barbra Streisand
1964
oil on canvas
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Sidney Nolan
Rudolf Nureyev
1965
acrylic on board
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Henry Koerner
Rudolf Bing
1966
oil on canvas
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

J.H. Breslow
James Taylor
1971
gouache and ink on board
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Eric Meola
Beverly Sills
1971
dye transfer print
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Alan Pappe
Liza Minnelli
1972
C-print
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Rick Smolan
Sarah Caldwell
1975
C-print
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Don Weller
Elton John
1975
drawing
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Peter Max
Paul McCartney
1976
acrylic paint over photographic print
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Peter Max
Paul McCartney
1976
acrylic paint over photographic print
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Douglas Kirkland
John Travolta
1978
C-print
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Mick Haggerty
David Bowie
1983
gouache on board
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Gordon Munro
Shirley MacLaine
1984
C-print
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Andy Warhol
Michael Jackson
1984
screenprint
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

Francesco Scavullo
Madonna
1985
C-print
(commissioned by Time magazine)
National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC

from Of the Pythagorean Philosophy

    Time was, when we were sow'd, and just began
From some few fruitful Drops, the promise of a Man;
Then Nature's Hand (fermented as it was)

Moulded to Shape the soft, coagulated Mass;

And when the little Man was fully form'd,

The breathless Embryo with a Spirit warm'd;

But when the Mothers Throws begin to come,

The creature, pent within the narrow Room,

Breaks his blind Prison, pushing ro repair

His stiffled Breath, and draw the living Air;

Cast on the Margin of the World he lies,

A helpless Babe, but by Instinct he cries.

He next essays to walk, but downward press'd
On four Feet imitates his Brother Beast:

By slow degrees he gathers from the Ground

His Legs, and to the rowling Chair is bound;

Then walks alone; a Horseman now become

He rides a Stick, and travels round the Room:

In time he vaunts among his youthful Peers,

Strong-bon'd, and strung with Nerves, in pride of Years,

He runs with Mettle his first merry Stage,

Maintains the next abated of his Rage,

But manages his Strength, and spares his Age.
Heavy the third, and stiff, he sinks apace,

And tho' 'tis down-hill all, but creeps along the Race.

                                        *

    

    Thus to be born, is to begin to be

Some other Thing we were not formerly;

And what we call to Die, is not t'appear,

Or be the Thing that formerly we were.

Those very Elements which we partake,

Alive, when Dead some other Bodies make:

Translated grow, have Sense, or can Discourse,
But Death on deathless Substance has no force. 

– Ovid (43 BC-AD 17), translated by John Dryden (1700)