Munich – Photo art: Romy Schneider photographed by Eva Sereny in 1971
The Stephen Hoffman Gallery presented the exhibition “Romy Schneider – Vintages and modern prints by Eva Sereny” for the first time in Germany in 2021 and collectors can still find these photos in the Munich gallery to this day
MUNICH. EVA SERENY – ROMY SCHNEIDER in ROME – Photo art in Munich – Stephen Hoffman Gallery
The year was 1971 when Eva Sereny was working as a photographer in Rome and her phone rang one day. Romy Schneider answered at the other end. That was unbelievable, Sereny says in her book “Romy in Rome”. One of the most famous contemporary actresses actually called and wanted to hire the photographer for a shoot in her home. In the 1970s, Romy Schneider was at the peak of her career, shone in character roles and was one of the most successful French actresses. The photographs presented in the Stephen Hoffman Gallery in Munich in 2021 reflected on the day of the photo shoot with Romy Schneider for us. These magnificent, signed and unique photographs by Eva Sereny have been part of Stephen Hoffman's gallery portfolio ever since.
 |
| Galerie Stephen Hoffman – Fine Art Photography: in the exhibition “Romy Schneider – Vintages and modern prints by Eva Sereny” - here during the exhibition in 2021 Photo: Helga Waess (Munich) / Courtesy: Galerie Stephen Hoffman, Munich |
The photo assignment turned out to be a stroke of luck - for the 33-year-old actress Romy Schneider (1938-1982) as well as for the photographer Eva Sereny (1935-2021), who was only three years older.
Unique, relaxed and diverse character photographs of the great actress Romy Schneider were created in just one day.
When Eva Sereny arrived at Romy's apartment in a Roman palazzo, she received a warm welcome. The equipment was set up, Romy put on a record by Édit Piaf, poured himself a glass of champagne and off we went. Both women spontaneously liked each other. It was probably the photographer's empathy that made the diva open up and pose easily, loosely and casually.
Initially in short black, the photographer continued to suggest changing outfits
And Romy showed the changeable, skilful switching of the experienced actress, who is used to different roles. She flirted with the camera. It's unbelievable the diversity of characters that lay within this 33-year-old.
Many hours and many black-and-white and color films later, it was already evening and the champagne did the rest, the photographer goes on to say in her book, and it felt like there was nothing new for her. Romy's repertoire of faces was, so to speak, in the can. So Eva Sereny suggested to the great actress that she should end the shooting now.
Today, 53 years after this legendary photo shoot, which enriched the comp card for Romy's management, collectors come to the Stephen Hoffman Gallery in Munich (Prannerstrasse 5, back of the Bayerischer Hof Hotel) to collect the fine selection of these legendary Romy Schneider photos by Eva Sereny to see and buy.
Eva Sereny’s photographs of Romy Schneider approach the subject sensitively and with respect
Numerous, spectacular snapshots created haunting and unique sequences that give the impression that there is a female director behind the camera.
It's a pleasure to see Romy in these photographs:
Each photograph represents an attitude to life - which fully showcases the charisma of the great actress Romy Schneider. The charisma and much-praised beauty of the legendary actress is showcased with great sensuality in Sereny's shots.
In the gallery for fine art photography at the back of the Hotel Bayerischer Hof, visitors can experience photos from the “Romy in Rome” shoot that Eva Sereny had planned and prepared for Munich in 2020 together with Stephen Hoffman.
Eva Sereny died in May 2021 at the age of 86. Today, gallery owner Stephen Hoffman works directly with Eva Sereny's estate in consultation with the photographer and can therefore present these haunting works of photographic art.
Sereny’s first exhibition in Germany
in 2021
was held in Munich by Stephen Hoffman’s gallery
Homage to the award-winning photographer and director Eva Sereny
and
in homage to the great actress Romy Schneider
Every photograph by Eva Sereny in the Munich exhibition at Stephen Hoffman represents an attitude to life - which fully showcases the charisma of the great actress Romy Schneider. It seems incredible that a person can portray so many characters in just one day and in so few photo shoot hours.
As a still photographer, Eva Sereny has been involved in numerous international productions - including
The Great Gatsby with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, Bertolucci's 1900 starring Robert DeNiro, Indiana Jones or The Last Crusade with Sean Connery and Harrison Ford or The Night Porter with Charlotte Rampling.
Her photographs can be found on numerous titles and documentaries in international magazines such as The Sunday Times Magazine, Life, Observer Magazine, Vogue, Marie Claire, Elle, Vanity Fair, Paris Match, Harpers Bazaar, Time and Newsweek and many others.
Through Eva Sereny's presence and her detailed observations on well-known film sets, her passion for film grew, so that she ultimately with her short film “The Dress”, starring Phyllis Logan and Michael Palin, won the British Academy for Film and Television Arts ( BAFTA) Award and the Chicago Golden Plaque.
like Paul Newman, Romy Schneider, Marlon Brando, Raquel Welch, Audrey Hepburn, Clint Eastwood, Luciano Pavarotti, Anthony Quinn, Donald Sutherland, Michelle Pfeiffer, Meryl Streep, Dustin Hoffman and many others.
Signed collector's photographs by Eva Sereny in the center of Munich
Here we discussed the photographs “Romy Schneider – Vintages and modern prints by Eva Sereny”
Gallery Stephen Hoffman – Fine Art Photography
Prannerstrasse 5 (at the back of the “Bayerischer Hof” hotel)
D-80333 Munich
