Evelyn Hofer

EVELYN HOFER (b. 1922 in Marburg an der Lahn, Germany, d. 2009 in Mexico City) grew up in Switzerland and Spain. Before her parents moved to Mexico, Hofer apprenticed for two Swiss photographers with whom she developed her visual and technical skills. Upon moving to Mexico she began her career as a freelance photographer.

In 1947 she moved to New York and worked with Alexey Brodovitch for Harper's Bazaar and later for Vogue. Her career took a decisive turn when Mary McCarthy asked her to take the photographs for The Stones of Florence. She continued to collaborate with writers throughout her career, producing portraits of various cities throughout Europe and the United States. Her photographs were published in Vanity Fair, House and Gardens, Connoisseur, Time-Life Books, Life Magazine, The London Times Sunday Magazine, and more.

With her superb eye for color and her fine ability as a portrait photographer it is no wonder she was described by Hilton Kramer as "one of the most accomplished living masters of the medium.”  In 2004 Steidl released her first comprehensive monograph which was then followed by a 2006 exhibition at the Hague, Netherlands—a long-overdue review of her artistic legacy. Her subjects have included notable figures such as Saul Steinberg, Andy Warhol, Marianne Moore, Balthus, and Diana Vreeland.