Madame X

This photo of Nicole Kidman appeared in June 1999 in Vogue.

Steven Meisel presented her as a modern version of the famous Madame X by the American painter John Singer Sargent (1856–1925).

Oriental Dreams

In the Vogue Italy appeared in May 2009 this great editorial by Steven Meisel. The Russian model Sasha Pivovarova presented John Galliano’s Spring/Summer collection.


With his photos Meisel refers not only to oriental fashion but rather to oriental paintings of the 19th and early 20th century and above all the famous odalisques by Henri Matisse (1869- 1954).

Post Apocalyptic Zombies

This Editorial by Steven Meisel was published in the Vogue Italia in 2004.



Despite it’s no quotation of any specific artwork it refers to a lot of post apocalyptic zombie movies. With its dark and morbid atmosphere is it not atypical for the kind of Editorials by Meisel.

Sin City Fashion by Steven Meisel

In spring 2005 the film Sin City by Frank Miller was real sensation. The impressive colors and the perfectly arranged film noir and pulp esthetics made Sin City also to an ideal pattern for a special kind of dark fashion.

Because of that it isn’t very surprising to me that it was Steven Meisel who has an inclination to dark and sometimes violent arrangements shot in the same year a Fashion Editorial for Vogue Italy, inspired by the film.

Post-Apocalyptic Fashion

In Vogue Italia appeared in November 2003 this series by Steven Meisel with the title “Mother Nature”. We see some skinny models posing in abandoned buildings or a deserted landscape.



These images didn’t quote any paintings but they refer in my opinion to a lot of post-apocalyptic movies and fiction. Here only a screenshot from the movie "Downstream" (2009).

Here you will find more about post-apocalyptic stuff.

Pandora

The photos for the Versace Catalogue Winter 1998 where made by Steven Meisel. All are dealing in a mysterious manner with mythological subjects. It’s not mentioned what characters Meisel had in mind when he arranged his photos. But this one reminds a lot of Pandora.

Pandora the curious girl with his box who brings all the evils to mankind as can be seen on this painting from 1894 by the British artist Henrietta Rae (1859-1928).

Meisel - Tissot

In the May 2007 issue of American Vogue appeared a series by the fphotographer Steven Meisel called "Fashioning the Century".

This is one of the very well composed pictures (how Meisel used to do).


It reminds me of the painting "Lilacs" (c. 1875) by the French painter James Jacques Tissot (1836-1902). Maybe this wasn’t intended by Meisel. But anyway, it’s not only the similar pose and the flowers, it’s the same cool arrangement of luxury, the perfection of both pictures.