Norman Parkinson (British, 1913–1990)
WENDA AND THE COW, c. 1954
Silver print
33 x 33 cm. (13 x 13 in.)
Private collection
Sold for $1,200 USD in April 2010
Wenda Rogerson was born in 1923. She trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in her teens. In 1946, she was appearing in a play at The Arts Theatre Club when she was spotted by photographer Cecil Beaton.
Wenda Parkinson had a striking widow’s peak and a perfectly symmetrical rectangular face. She also had the fashionably slender body of the times. Beaton’s photos of her were considered rather pedestrian, but they worked together quite a lot. When Norman Parkinson saw them, he was convinced he could do better. He booked her as much as he could.
Norman Parkinson
The Art of Travel, Nairobi, C. 1951
Silver print
31 x 23 cm. (12 ¼ x 9 in.)
Private collection
Sold for EUR 15,000 in Jun 2019
Nairobi, Kenya, South Africa, next to a Hermes aeroplane, c. 1951
Silver print
Private collection
“The camera can be the most deadly weapon since the assassin’s bullet,” the photographer Norman Parkinson once said, “or it can be the lotion of the heart.” Parks, as he is often called, was a leading figure in shaping the image of 20th-century fashion. After apprenticing with royal court photographers Speaight and Sons Ltd., he spent the rest of his life working at leading fashion magazines, including Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, where he photographed subjects ranging from the candy-colored ensembles of Dior’s New Look to the bold style of the 1970s supermodel Jerry Hall. A frequent collaborator of Grace Coddington, Parkinson pushed the limits of fashion photography by traveling to far-flung destinations and by infusing his work with an irreverent dose of British humor. More on Norman Parkinson
Wenda Parkinson, Hyde Park Corner, Vogue, 1951
Silver print
40.4 by 30.5cm.; 16 by 12in.
Private collection
Estimate for 3,000 - 5,000 GBP in September 2021
Norman Parkinson
Wenda Parkinson and Ostriches, c. 1951
Gelatin silver print
61 x 51 x 4 cm (h x w x d)
Private collection
Wenda Parkinson photographed in Andalucia, Spain for Vogue magazine, c. 1954
C print
Private collection
Norman Parkinson
Wenda Parkinson in Tobago, Vogue, c. 1956
C print
30 x 30 inches
Private collection
Norman Parkinson
Wenda Parkinson photographed modeling on a Canoe in India, C. 1956
C print
Private collection
Norman Parkinson
Wenda Parkinson photographed for British Vogue, March 1951
C print
Private collection
In the history of fashion photography the great fashion photographers often had key muses to inspire them, Wenda Parkinson, Norman’s wife, was certainly his. - Peter Fetterman
In 1947, she married Norman Parkinson. After the marriage, unlike many models who immediately retired, she continued working: primarily for Parkinson. They created a striking and original body of work together, often on locations abroad. Parkinson also took family portraits featuring his wife, including a humorous one now in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery (below).
In 1963, the Parkinsons moved to the Carribean island of Tobago. Wenda Parkinson continued to model occasionally for her husband. She was known as a fantastic hostess, and the couple had many visitors. Lots of them were from the world of celebrities that Norman photographed. When she was not in front of the lens, Wenda often went with Norman on his photography trips.
This Gilded African: Toussaint L'Ouverture
In 1978, Wenda Parkinson’s book This Gilded African: Toussaint L’Ouverture was published. It was a biography of the Haitian general and best-known leader of the Haitian Revolution. She had been researching it, often from original source material, for several years with visits to Haiti and libraries and archives all over the world. It came to be known as definitive with many original discoveries and was reprinted several times
Wenda Parkinson died at age 60 in London on Oct. 24, 1987. More on Wenda Parkinson
In 1947, she married Norman Parkinson. After the marriage, unlike many models who immediately retired, she continued working: primarily for Parkinson. They created a striking and original body of work together, often on locations abroad. Parkinson also took family portraits featuring his wife, including a humorous one now in the collection of the National Portrait Gallery (below).
Norman Parkinson
Norman Parkinson; Wenda Parkinson (née Rogerson); Simon Parkinson; Sue Robertson, c. 1956
Colour print
In 1963, the Parkinsons moved to the Carribean island of Tobago. Wenda Parkinson continued to model occasionally for her husband. She was known as a fantastic hostess, and the couple had many visitors. Lots of them were from the world of celebrities that Norman photographed. When she was not in front of the lens, Wenda often went with Norman on his photography trips.
Norman Parkinson (1913-1990)
Reclining Nude with Vogue, c. 1954
silver print
9.6 x 12.4 cm. (3 ¾ x 4 7/8 in.)
Private collection
Engraving showing Toussaint Louverture riding a horse.
From a series of French engravings (1802)
In 1978, Wenda Parkinson’s book This Gilded African: Toussaint L’Ouverture was published. It was a biography of the Haitian general and best-known leader of the Haitian Revolution. She had been researching it, often from original source material, for several years with visits to Haiti and libraries and archives all over the world. It came to be known as definitive with many original discoveries and was reprinted several times
Wenda Parkinson died at age 60 in London on Oct. 24, 1987. More on Wenda Parkinson
Norman Parkinson CBE (21 April 1913 – 15 February 1990) was an English portrait and fashion photographer. His work revolutionised British fashion photography, as he moved his subjects out of the studio and used outdoor settings. While serving as a Royal Air Force photographer in World War II, he started with Vogue magazine, discovering several famous models. He became an official royal photographer in 1969, taking photographs for Princess Anne's 19th birthday and the Investiture portrait of Charles III as Prince of Wales. Many other royal portraits included official portraits of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother for her 75th birthday. He was known for using elements of humour in his photographs. Parkinson received many honours during his life including the Royal Photographic Society's Progress Medal, the Lifetime Achievement Award of the American Society of Magazine Photographers, a Google Doodle, and a British postage stamp. More on Norman Parkinson
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