Marilyn Monroe - "The Seven Year Itch, New York, 1954"

- Marilyn Monroe, "The Seven Year Itch", New York, 1954, photograph Sam Shaw. Giclée print on heavyweight baryta paper (approx. 300gsm, refers to paper thickness/density).

- Stamp on verso.

- Embossed stamp.

- Borderless / full-bleed.

- Ready to frame. The pic in which the items appears framed is a simulated recreation for illustrative purposes only, the frame and other decorative elements shown in it are not included in the lot you are bidding on.

- Size: 42.5 x 57 cm

- Condition: excellent. Never framed, never exposed.

- Sam Shaw’s 1954 photograph of Marilyn Monroe during the filming of The Seven Year Itch captures one of the most instantly recognisable images in twentieth-century popular culture: Monroe standing above a New York subway grate as the rush of air lifts the pleated white dress designed by William Travilla into a sculptural swirl around her. Shot in September 1954 during the production of Billy Wilder’s film, the scene became a carefully orchestrated publicity event as well as an enduring cinematic symbol, with Monroe’s expression balancing theatrical glamour, spontaneity and self-awareness. Shaw, who photographed Monroe extensively and belonged to the circle of photographers who helped define her public image, frames the moment with remarkable clarity: the black background isolates her figure, the brilliant white dress becomes almost luminous, and the sweeping folds create a dramatic rhythm around the body. The photograph transforms a fleeting instant into a near-emblematic composition, combining fashion photography, movie still, celebrity portrait and street spectacle. The celebrated subway-grate sequence was staged publicly in Manhattan in September 1954 and later recreated under controlled studio conditions for the finished film, while Shaw’s photographs of the event became among the defining visual records of Monroe’s career.

With its striking black-and-white contrast, elegant vertical format and graphic interplay between the dark background, pale skin tones and brilliant fabric, this image has exceptional decorative impact in contemporary, Hollywood Regency, Art Deco, mid-century modern and sophisticated eclectic interiors. The flowing geometry of the dress gives the composition movement and softness, while Monroe’s central pose provides an unmistakable focal point that works beautifully against black, charcoal, burgundy, deep green, cream or warm white walls. It pairs naturally with brass, polished chrome, black lacquer, marble, velvet, smoked glass and walnut, as well as furniture and lighting associated with designers such as Gio Ponti, Eero Saarinen, Arne Jacobsen, Florence Knoll and Charles and Ray Eames. Particularly effective in a dressing room, bedroom, living room, hallway, cinema room, boutique-style interior or elegant office, it also makes a distinctive regalo for admirers of Marilyn Monroe, classic Hollywood, vintage fashion, photography, cinema and 1950s design.

For admirers of Sam Shaw, Marilyn Monroe and twentieth-century photography, this image stands at the intersection of cinema history, celebrity culture and photographic iconography. Its appeal naturally extends to admirers of Richard Avedon, Bert Stern, Milton Greene, Eve Arnold, Elliott Erwitt, Helmut Newton, Irving Penn and Annie Leibovitz, while also connecting easily with collections shaped by Warhol, Lichtenstein, Hockney, Basquiat, Haring, Banksy and other artists who explored fame, media and modern identity. It also sits comfortably within interiors and collections influenced by iconic luxury and popular culture, from Chanel, Dior, Hermès, Cartier, Rolex and Patek Philippe to fashion photography, film memorabilia, Lego, Star Wars, Pokémon and other sought-after collectibles. A timeless image of movement, glamour and performance, Shaw’s photograph preserves the precise moment in which Marilyn Monroe’s screen persona, Hollywood publicity and modern visual culture fused into a single unforgettable image.