The Kennedys by Richard Avedon

Author:Richard Avedon [Avedon, Richard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-06-204291-0
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2007-06-14T16:00:00+00:00

The final spreads of the Kennedys as they were published in Richard Avedon’s Observations series in Harper’s Bazaar, February 1961.

Through the first pair of photographs, the reader establishes an emotional connection to Kennedy; through the second pair, a sense of nurturing and comfort; through the third, confidence that Kennedy will be a good president.

The first photographs of Caroline and Kennedy are endearing without being overly sentimental. Caroline’s sweet gesture of holding her father’s hand to her face captures the essence of a child’s unconditional love and the intense desire to have that love returned. Many readers, taken by Caroline’s heartfelt gesture, would have felt a connection to the photograph from that perspective as well as transferred their own feelings of adoration toward Kennedy. Represented by his hand and his leg only, Kennedy is in a sense abstracted here—a symbol of paternal nationalism. In the paired photograph, Caroline stands within the compositional triangle of her father’s leg and arm. His fingers hold her shoulder at the triangle’s apex, enfolding her, protecting her from the stranger taking her picture. Similarly, the viewer can imagine Kennedy protecting America from danger.

The second pair of images, featuring Jackie and the children, reinforces these feelings of comfort. Beautiful and maternal, graceful and nurturing, the photo of Jackie portrays her as a devoted, loving mother—values she would hopefully apply as first lady. In art history, a baby symbolically represents hope for the future. Here, six-week-old John Jr. fulfills that role, his tiny, pale hand reaching toward Caroline’s arm for security. The photographs of John and Caroline ask the viewer to embrace the new years of leadership.

The final pair of photographs presents the public face of Jackie and Kennedy. In her pre-inaugural gown, Jackie engages the viewer with a mix of restraint and challenge. In this regal portrait, she projects her ability to hold court. In the final photograph, Jackie sits comfortably, but resolutely, behind the solid, confident president-elect. The same woman who can command authority also knows her place as a wife, the role of many of Harper’s Bazaar’s readers at the time. In these images, she sits behind Kennedy. With her arm over his, she is physically linked to him, signaling his leadership status and her inseparable support as his wife. In that final photograph, Kennedy appears as a full human figure, not as a fractured representation of himself. He seems calm, comfortable, and self-assured. The Kennedys’ directness and sincerity enlist the reader’s support and confidence.

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