George Hoyningen-Heune and Horst P. Horst

Pháos Dreams

The studio of George Hoyningen-Huene in Paris, 1931 © George Hoyningen-Huene Estate (Colourized by Angela Rose Design)

In the Paris seventh-floor studio of George Hoyningen-Huene, where Horst P. Horst briefly resided, modern and functional furniture designed by their friend Jean-Michel Frank anchors the space. The focal point is a fireplace flanked by two spoonback chairs. The mantelpiece is adorned with a vase of roses and a cast of a horse's head from the Acropolis that both men admired. In 1932, Huene photographed Horst sitting astride the horse, where flesh, stone, and a carefully placed towel seamlessly blended, thanks to Huene's masterful lighting. An almost identical horse's head appears in Horst's later photographs. 

The studio of George Hoyningen-Huene in Paris, 1931 © George Hoyningen-Huene Estate

The pair first met after Horst arrived in Paris in 1930 to work as an apprentice to architect Le Corbusier. He became Huene's photographic assistant, occasional model, and lover, which quickly changed the course of his life. Through Huene, Horst was introduced to high society and influenced him to focus on photography. They travelled to England that winter and visited Cecil Beaton who worked for British Vogue. 

The studio of George Hoyningen-Huene in Paris, 1931 © George Hoyningen-Huene Estate

Exiled due to the Russian Revolution, Huene moved between England and the South of France before settling in Paris, where he began photographing for Condé Nast publications in 1926. His social circle included Man Ray, Salvador Dalí, Lee Miller, Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, and Coco Chanel. These connections, paired with his refined education, fostered a curiosity and sophistication that formed the foundation of his aesthetic. Horst moved into Huene's studio, and although their romantic relationship didn’t last, they remained lifelong friends. Huene introduced Horst to Vogue magazine where he began working in 1931. Condé Nast invited Horst to work in New York for six months the following year. His first exhibition took place at La Plume d'Or in Paris in 1932, and a review in The New Yorker made him an instant success. 

Horst as an ancient Greek horseman, Paris, 1932 © George Hoyningen-Huene Estate

In 1935, Huene moved to New York City and primarily worked for Harper's Bazaar. Horst then took over his position at French Vogue, becoming its chief photographer. He shared a multi-story studio and production house along the Champs-Élysées until the Nazi invasion in 1939 forced him to flee to New York. As a gay man, it was unsafe for him to remain in Europe. He worked for Condé Nast until the early 1980s, with a brief interruption for army service as a war photographer between 1942 and 1945. 

Portrait of Horst P. Horst and George Hoyningen-Huene, Paris, 1937, Photo by Roger Schall © Schall Collection

Horst travelled extensively over the next several decades, publishing and exhibiting his work. He lived with his partner, Valentine Lawford, a British diplomat, in Oyster Bay, Long Island, until Lawford's death in 1991. The couple adopted a son Richard J. Horst whom they raised together. Meanwhile, Huene published books and produced documentaries about Greece, Syria, Egypt, Africa, and Mexico based on his travels before relocating to Hollywood. There he worked as a photographer and colour consultant for the film industry. Huene died of a stoke in 1968 at his home in Los Angeles, and Horst inherited his archive. In 1999, Horst passed away at his home in Palm Beach, Florida at the age of 93. Swedish entrepreneur Tommy Rönngren purchased Huene's Estate from Horst’s son in 2021.

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