In Irving Penn’s self portrait “Irving Penn: In a Cracked Mirror,” we see one homologation of a self portrait in a mirror which is composed of different views thanks to the multiple cracks in the mirror. What stood out to me about this piece at first is the fact that you can’t notice the mirror. Usually, you can see the broken pieces of a mirror but the fractures must be so minute that the composition seems like different photos overlaid with each other. Additionally, the pose and facial expression of Penn is quite interesting because each eye has a different expression: one being more closed and serious and the other a more perhaps wicked stare. There is also repetition in the wicked eye because of the broken mirror, creating a very alien composition which also separates the portrait as unique. Finally, the monochromatic choice for the portrait also benefits because you get high contrast between facial features but it also helps hide the fracture in the mirror. It is also interesting to note how he titled his work as “Irving Penn: In a Cracked Mirror” which gives the connotation like he’s trapped within the mirror and maybe the cracked mirror is referencing something bigger, perhaps delusion or insanity.
Penn, Irving. Irving Penn: In a Cracked Mirror. The Irving Penn foundation, New York, 1986, https://irvingpenn.org/. Accessed October 18, 2023.