About the artist
Toni Frissell, originally Antoinette Frissell Bacon (1907-1988), was a self-taught American photographer born and bred in New York City. Initially training as an actress and working in advertising, she soon found her true calling in photography in the early 1930s. Starting as a caption writer, Frissell quickly rose to prominence as a fashion photographer at Vogue. However, her heart lay in photojournalism, a career shift encouraged by her work with the American Red Cross and Women's Army Corps during World War II. Frissell's innovative "action-fashion" shots became a trendsetter in postwar fashion. Eventually, she transitioned into lifestyle and sports photography, contributing to well known publications like LIFE, Look, Vogue, and Sports Illustrated. In 1971, she generously donated her photographs to the Library of Congress, allowing public access. She retired in 1967 and died in 1988.
