Douglas Kirkland’s extraordinary photographs, compiled for the first time in their complete form here, allow us to pry into the mysterious woman known as Marilyn Monroe, unveiling an intimate night that the world- class photographer shared with the icon. Born Norma Jean Mortenson, Marilyn was internationally adored and beloved by both women and men alike. Most memorable for her performances in movies like “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” and “The Seven Year Itch,” the public had little insight into the pop culture icon’s personal life. Douglas Kirkland changed all that with his assignment for Look magazine to photograph the movie star in 1961; and in the offing he made history for both himself and the actress. Working in the intimate confines of an unmade bed, the result--still amazing today--is a series of some of the most spontaneous and flirtatious photographs ever taken of this film legend that endure to the present.
