See Helmut Newton's In-Your-Face Erotic Fashion Photography From the New Houston Show of His Work

Oneof the early innovators of modern fashion photography, Helmut Newton was knownfor opening eyes with his provocative photographs that appeared throughout thepages of iconic magazines like Harper's BAZAAR, Paris Vogue, and American Vogue. TheMuseum of Fine Arts Houston pays tribute to the photographer with theexhibition "Helmut Newton: White Women • Sleepless Nights • Big Nudes," ondisplay through September 25. The showdisplays 205 images from Newton's first three books: "White Women" (1976),"Sleepless Nights" (1978), and "Big Nudes" (1982). Several large-scale 8' by 8'prints are also included in the exhibition. June Newton , thephotographer's widow, came up with the concept for the exhibition, which wasthen produced by Manfred Heiting , a Dutch collector and friend of the Newtons, and Anne Tucker , Gus and Lyndall Wortham curator of photography at the MFAH. Newtonrevolutionized the way women were photographed through erotic nudes thatempowered female sexuality. "Saddle I," taken from "Sleepless Nights" depicts aperfectly-coiffed model perched on a bed on all fours with a saddle on herback, while "Self-Portrait" portrays the artist at work, shooting a naked modelstanding in front of a mirror as his wife sits in the distance. The self-madephotographer survived the Holocaust in Germany, only to be interned by BritishAuthorities in Singapore as an "enemy alien" before being shipped to Australia,where he was released after serving a two-year sentence at a camp. It was aftera two-year stint in the Australian army that he changed his name fromNeustädter to Newton and began making a name for himself as a photographer.Newton died in 2004 at 83 after a tragic Los Angeles car accident. As Tucker put itin a statement: "His distinct, risqué photographs present what were, arguably,the world's most beautiful models in a range of personalities."

Click on the photo gallery at left to view images from "Helmut Newton: White Women • Sleepless Nights • Big Nudes."