French Widow’s Surprise Reaction to Marilyn Monroe Photos
Traveloasisspot.com – Douglas Kirkland s widow wasn t impressed when she first learned about her husband’s famous work with Hollywood’s most iconic star. Francoise Kirkland, a French intellectual, shared her candid thoughts about the legendary photographer’s relationship with Marilyn Monroe. Instead of feeling envious or awestruck, she admitted her initial reaction was one of mild indifference.
The Legendary 1961 Photoshoot
The now-iconic photographs were captured in 1961 during a special session for Look magazine’s 25th anniversary feature. At the time, the photographer was only 27 years old while Monroe was 35 and at the height of her fame. The star had specific requests for the shoot: champagne, Frank Sinatra records, and silk sheets.
These images would become some of the most recognizable portraits of Monroe, who died just nine months later at age 36. The photographer himself passed away in 2022 at 88, leaving behind a remarkable collection of celebrity portraits from Hollywood’s golden age.
A French Perspective on Celebrity Photography
When Francoise met her future husband, she was a 22-year-old French intellectual. Learning about his work with Monroe, she found herself surprisingly unimpressed by the achievement.
“I had heard that he’d photographed Marilyn, because he came with that reputation, but I wasn’t that impressed,” she explained to Press Association.
“I mean I was a 22-year-old French intellectual girl, well, supposedly intellectual, and at that time, if he had told me he’d photographed Picasso, I would have thought, ‘oh, okay’, but Marilyn, I mean…we’re all a little bit of a snob at times.”
Her response highlighted the cultural attitudes of the era, where fine art often received more respect than celebrity photography in certain circles.
A New Tribute to Marilyn
Over time, Francoise developed a deep appreciation for the photographs. She recently launched a special publication called “Douglas Kirkland: Marilyn. A Magical Dance” to honor what would have been Monroe’s centenary.
Damiani Books published the collection as a collector’s edition leporello format, allowing images to unfold like an accordion. The edition features handwritten notes from the photographer himself. Francoise explained her vision: “I decided that maybe it would be like a fun thing to reinvent his session with Marilyn, but in that form. I’m a little bit tired of big books and wanted something that was tactile and that people could also display and put on a shelf.”
The Real Competition in Her Marriage
While many might have expected Francoise to feel jealous of the glamorous actresses her husband photographed—including Audrey Hepburn, Brigitte Bardot, Judy Garland, Elizabeth Taylor, and Sophia Loren—she saw things differently.
“I always said that the biggest rival in my marriage was not all the beautiful women, but it was a camera,” she said. “It was his passion and he put his entire life and effort into it. The camera was really like a lover. He was photographing almost till he died, even when he was very weak.”
She remembered fond moments when he would bring his new camera to bed, examining it closely or trying to capture photos of her. One amusing picture shows him sitting up in bed with a flashlight in his mouth, carefully inspecting his equipment.
Monroe’s Hidden Vulnerability
The photographs revealed a more personal side of Monroe than most people knew. She arrived three hours late to their session but wasted no time once she got there, quickly creating the memorable images. During their time together, Monroe opened up about her difficult childhood, and they planned to work together again—though she passed away before they could.
“There’s a kind of a romance about, and his pictures make her, I think, probably more accessible, because there’s a feeling that there’s a vulnerability in them,” Francoise reflected. “When he photographed Monroe, he was already an established celebrity photographer working for Look magazine.”
