Robert Mapplethorpe

The Profile

Robert Mapplethorpe (1946–1989) was an American photographer known for black-and-white portraits and stylized nudes.

Worked in New York; early collaborations and relationship with Patti Smith; moved from Polaroid experimentation to formal black-and-white photography focused on sculptural poses, symmetry and portraiture. Died in 1989.

The review praises Mapplethorpe's 1976 portrait of Patti Smith as a tender, intimate nude that contrasts his usual sculptural, non-erotic nudes. It recounts their early relationship at the Chelsea Hotel and Mapplethorpe's shift from Polaroid experiments to black-and-white photography. The reviewer frames the image as born of love and highlights an exhibition reference.