Francesco Scavullo

Muhammad Ali, Photograph by Francesco Scavullo

1982

Francesco Scavullo (1921–2004) was an American fashion photographer celebrated for his glamorous, highly polished style that helped define the look of late-20th-century popular culture. Born in Staten Island, New York, Scavullo began experimenting with photography in his teens, often using his sisters as models. After assisting Horst P. Horst at Vogue, he established his own career and quickly became one of the most in-demand photographers of his generation. Scavullo is best known for his decades-long collaboration with Cosmopolitan, where his bold, sensual, and confident images of women graced more than three decades of covers, beginning in the 1960s. His portraits extended well beyond fashion: he photographed countless celebrities, from Hollywood stars to musicians and cultural icons, including Barbra Streisand, Madonna, Grace Kelly, and Andy Warhol. His approach balanced glamour with intimacy, making his subjects appear both larger-than-life and approachable. Over the years, Scavullo published several books, including Scavullo on Beauty (1972), Scavullo Women (1982), and Scavullo: Photographs 1948–1984, which solidified his place in both the fashion and fine art worlds. His work has been exhibited internationally and is part of major collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York. For collectors, Scavullo’s posters, exhibition prints, and signed ephemera hold strong value. They not only capture the aesthetics of an era but also represent the enduring appeal of an artist whose images helped shape the public’s perception of beauty, celebrity, and style in the latter half of the 20th century.