Eye in Keyhole, New York

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Irving Penn
American, 1917–2009

Eye in Keyhole, New York, 1953, printed 1984

Dye imbibition print, edition of 17
47.8 x 33.6 cm (image); 52 x 36 cm (paper); 58 x 41.9 cm (mount)
Inscribed verso: "2039"; inscribed veros: "EYE IN KEYHOLE / NEW YORK 1953 [in a box]"; inscribed veros: "REF. 2039"; stamped and inscribed verso "PHOTOGRAPH BY IRVING PENN / Copyright © 1953 - Renewed 1981 by / THE CONDE NAST PUBLICATIONS INC. / not to be reproduced without / written permission of the copyright owner."; inscribed verso: "Print made 1984 / I.P."; signed and stamped verso: "Irving Penn / IRVING PENN [in a circle]."
Gift of Irving Penn, 1996.241

Copyright Condé Nast Publications, Inc.

Exhibition, Publication and Ownership Histories

Exhibition History

Chicago, Art Institute of Chicago, “Irving Penn, A Career in Photography,” November 22, 1997–February 1, 1998; traveled to St. Petersburg, Russia, State Hermitage Museum, March 1–May 16, 1998; Hamburg, Germany, Deichtorhallen, June 18–September 6, 1998; Munich, Germany, Müchner Stadtmuseum, October 6, 1998–February 21, 1999; San Francisco, California, Friends of Photography/Ansel Adams Center for Photography, November 11, 1999–January 23, 2000; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, March 25–June 4, 2000; Paris, France, Maison Européenne de la Photographie, September 13–November 5, 2000. (Colin Westerbeck)

Publication History

Szarkowski, John. 1984. "Irving Penn." Exh. cat. Museum of Modern Art/New York Graphic Society Books. pl. 64. (other print of this image)

Penn, Irving. 1991. “Passage: A Work Record.” Knopf. p. 119. (other print of this image)

Westerbeck, Colin. 1997. “Irving Penn: A Career in Photography.” Exh. cat. Art Institute of Chicago/Bulfinch Press. p. 95, cat. 86, pl. 46.

Ownership History

Given by the artist to the Art Institute, 1996.