Lisette Model
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Lisette Model
Lisette Model (1901-1983) was an Austrian-born American photographer known for her raw, candid street photography and influential role in shaping the course of 20th-century documentary photography. Born in Vienna to a wealthy Jewish family, Model studied music and painting before turning to photography in the 1930s. She fled to France in 1938 due to the rise of Nazism and later emigrated to the United States in 1940. Model's unique photographic style was characterized by her use of a 35mm camera, close-up framing, and stark contrasts, which allowed her to capture the gritty reality of urban life and the idiosyncrasies of her subjects. Her most famous works include the Promenade des Anglais series (1934), featuring candid shots of wealthy French Riviera vacationers, and her Running Legs series (1940-1941), showcasing the legs of hurried pedestrians in New York City. Model's unapologetic and direct approach to photography influenced numerous artists, including Diane Arbus, who was her student at the New School for Social Research in New York. Throughout her career, Model's work was exhibited in major institutions such as the Museum of Modern Art and the National Gallery of Canada, cementing her status as a pioneering figure in street photography and a significant contributor to the development of documentary photography as an art form.
Lisette Model, street photography, documentary photography, 20th-century photography, candid photography
CITATION : "Helen James. 'Lisette Model.' Design+Encyclopedia. https://design-encyclopedia.com/define/lisette-model?E=434999 (Accessed on October 14, 2026)"
Lisette Model
Lisette Model was a highly influential Austrian-American photographer who is best known for her candid black-and-white street photography. Her works often featured working-class people, as well as a cast of oddball characters that often represented the diversity of city life. Model was a member of the New Objectivity movement, which was characterized by its objective style, typified by her unglamorous, gritty and candid street scenes. She was an influential teacher who stressed the importance of seeing the “psychological truth” and developed a unique graphic vision by combining elements of both documentary photography and staged composition. Her legacy continues to influence modern photography, and her influence is still felt today in the works of many contemporary photographers, who use her techniques and philosophy as inspiration. One of the most notable aspects of Model's work was her ability to capture the essence of everyday life in New York during the 1930s and 40s. Her photographs are still admired today for their honest and vivid take on the vibrancy of the city. Model's portraits of the city's residents, her depictions of urban life, and her photographs of the bustling nightlife of Times Square are particularly noteworthy. Her iconic photographs of New York City in the 1930s and 40s have become iconic images of the city’s vibrant energy. In addition to her work as a photographer, Model was also an influential teacher. She stressed the importance of seeing the psychological truth and developed a unique graphic vision by combining elements of both documentary photography and staged composition. Her teachings had a profound impact on many of her students, including Diane Arbus, who went on to become one of the most influential photographers of the twentieth century. Overall, Lisette Model was a remarkable photographer and artist whose legacy continues to inspire and influence photographers today. Her ability to capture the essence of everyday life in New York during the 1930s and 40s, combined with her unique graphic vision and her teachings as a teacher, have cemented her place as one of the most important figures in twentieth-century American photography.
Lisette Model, street photography, New Objectivity, psychological truth, Diane Arbus
Lisette Model
Lisette Model (1901-1983) was a highly influential Austrian-American photographer who is best known for her images of street life in New York City. Model's works often featured working-class people, as well as a cast of oddball characters that often represented the diversity of city life. Her photographs often presented a sharp and unflinching perspective of her subjects, and her artistic vision was ahead of its time. Model's works have been highly regarded by critics and her legacy continues to influence modern photography. Some of her most notable works include the 1939 collection A Slice of Life and her 1945 series The Women of Fifth Avenue. Model is also noted for her mentorship of Diane Arbus, her student and collaborator, who went on to become one of the most influential photographers of the twentieth century.
Lisette Model, New York City, street photography, twentieth century, Diane Arbus.
— Mei Wang
Lisette Model
Lisette Model was a renowned photographer and artist whose works have become iconic in the history of street photography. Her photographs of everyday life in New York City during the 1930s and 40s are renowned for their honest and vivid take on the vibrancy of the city. While she was a disciple of the New Objectivity movement, Model developed her own unique graphic vision by combining elements of both documentary photography and staged composition. Her work consists of compelling portraits of people in their everyday environment, and her influence on the art of photography has been immense. Her influence is still felt today in the works of many contemporary photographers, who use her techniques and philosophy as inspiration.
Lisette Model, street photography, New Objectivity, documentary photography, portrait photography.
Lisette Model
Lisette Model is widely considered one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century. Her work has been praised for its modernist principles and often intimate portrayals of society. She was driven by the idea of capturing the “psychological truth” of her subjects, and her style was a combination of documentary photography and staged composition. Model was a pioneer of candid black-and-white street photography, and her works have been exhibited in galleries around the world. Her iconic photographs of New York City in the 1930s and 40s have become iconic images of the city’s vibrant energy. Model’s legacy as an influential teacher and artist continues to inspire photographers today.
Lisette Model, street photography, portrait, New York, iconic, black-and-white, modernist.
Lisette Model
Lisette Model was an Austrian-born photographer and artist who is best known for her candid black-and-white street photography. She captured the everyday lives of people in New York City during the 1930s and 40s, and her works are still admired today for their honest and vivid take on the vibrancy of the city. Model was a member of the New Objectivity movement, which was characterized by its objective style, typified by her unglamorous, gritty and candid street scenes. She was an influential teacher who stressed the importance of seeing the “psychological truth” and developed a unique graphic vision by combining elements of both documentary photography and staged composition. Her work consists of compelling portraits of people in their everyday environment, such as her most notable works 'The Fabric of My Life' (1973), 'The Allure of Paris' (1944–45) and 'Alphabet Village' (1946). Model's works have been praised for their modernist principles and often intimate portrayals of society, making her one of the most important figures in twentieth-century American photography.
Lisette Model, photography, artist, New York City, New Objectivity, modernist principles.
Lisette Model
A prominent figure in twentieth-century American photography, Lisette Model's works have been praised for their modernist principles and often intimate portrayals of society. As a disciple of the New Objectivity movement, Model's works are characterized by an objective style, typified by her unglamorous, gritty and candid street scenes. Model was an influential teacher who stressed the importance of seeing the psychological truth and developed a unique graphic vision by combining elements of both documentary photography and staged composition. Her work consists of compelling portraits of people in their everyday environment. Some of her most notable works are 'The Fabric of My Life' (1973), 'The Allure of Paris' (1944–45) and 'Alphabet Village' (1946).
Lisette Model, photography, documentary, street scenes, portraits, New Objectivity.
Lisette Model
Lisette Model was a remarkable photographer and artist who had a unique eye for street photography. Her work captured the essence of everyday life in New York during the 1930s and 40s. She was known for her portraits of the city's residents, her depictions of urban life and her photographs of the bustling nightlife of Times Square. Her photographs are still admired today for their honest and vivid take on the vibrancy of the city. Her works have been exhibited in art galleries and featured in magazines and books.
Lisette Model, Street Photography, Urban Life, New York 1930s-40s
Lisette Model on Design+Encyclopedia
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