WOMAN FOR ALL SEASONS

We get a sneak preview of a major new show of Lee Miller's work, ranging from stunning fashion photography to her searing images of war

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Ravishingly beautiful, Lee Miller was a celebrated darling of the New York social scene of the Twenties and Thirties, modelling for Vogue and mixing with contemporary celebrities including Charlie Chaplin and George Gershwin.

However, her enduring glamour has, at times, obscured an extraordinary life of artistic achievement that encompasses Surrealist art, fashion photography and war reportage.

Now, a new exhibition at London’s Tate Britain celebrates Lee’s career, ranging from her early photography to her documentation of the Second World War, including the famous shot of her posing in Hitler's bathtub after his downfall.

Moving to Paris for three years in 1929, Lee modelled while also publishing her own photographs for Vogue; worked as an apprentice for her lover, the artist Man Ray; exhibited her work across the US and Europe; and starred in Jean Cocteau's first major film.

GLITTERING CIRCLE

Many of the portraits she took throughout her career were of fellow artists in her creative community; she had an “incredible network” and, as a model, understood how to make someone feel comfortable.