Einstein, Piaf, Twiggy: Marilyn Stafford’s extraordinary life behind the lens
Marilyn Stafford was largely unknown until her 90s, when she had a belated and glorious brush with fame. Stafford, who has died aged 97, became celebrated in the way she should have been for decades. She was given a major retrospective at the Brighton Museum & Art Gallery, published a magnificent book of her photographs, was interviewed by newspapers on both sides of the Atlantic, and finally got to tell her stories.
And what stories. Albert Einstein, Indira Gandhi, Charles Aznavour, Édith Piaf, Henri Cartier-Bresson … this tiny, unassuming American woman reeled off names like a grocery list. Stafford’s portfolio covered all life with compassion, humour and style. She was equally at home documenting Algerian refugees who had fled France’s scorched earth policy as she was shooting fashion or celebrity portraits.
She could have been a film star or distinguished chanteuse – and almost was. Stafford grew up, she described herself as “probably the only Stanislavski photographer around”.
