portrait of this blog's author - by Stephen Blackman 2008

Wednesday, June 19, 2024

Other birthdays | Isabella Rossellini

 

Jean-Christian Bourcart, 1990

Also born this week: exquisite Italian-born supermodel (photographed by greats like Richard Avedon, Bruce Weber, Helmut Newton and Francesco Scavullo) turned mercurial and intense actress turned animal behaviour authority Isabella Rossellini (née Isabella Fiorella Elettra Giovanna Rossellini, 18 June 1952). Among the many achievements of the daughter of actress Ingrid Bergman and director Roberto Rossellini: she remains the definitive spokeswoman for Lancôme cosmetics and maverick filmmaker David Lynch’s single greatest muse. Her performance as tormented sadomasochistic nightclub chanteuse Dorothy Vallens in Lynch’s 1986 masterpiece Blue Velvet (a role originally intended for Helen Mirren) alone ensures Rossellini cinematic immortality. Pictured: Rossellini photographed at the Cannes Film Festival by Jean-Christian Bourcart, 1990.


americanprimitives

I love this photo as it doesn’t conform tp the convention of portraying her as merely the staggeringly beautiful woman but in fracturing her image says something about imagery of the time . . . . she was of course muse and partner to David Lynch! 

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