Marilyn Monroe | 1962/1986 Never-Published Black and White Photograph by Allan Grant

Lot description

A 1986 later print hand-printed by Allan Grant; matte finish, weight-and-a-half paper, depicting a close-up of the star's smiling face as she sits inside her Fifth Helena Drive home in the Brentwood section of Los Angeles on July 7, 1962; verso with credit sticker reading in part “Photo By / Allan Grant / © 1986 / …Los Angeles, Calif.” Taken on July 7, 1962 less than one month before her death, Grant's photographs of Marilyn Monroe are now in the realm of legend. In a strange twist of fate, they were published for the first time in the August 3, 1962 issue of LIFE Magazine, just two days before her passing. Though we've seen a few of Grant's beautiful and haunting images of the star for decades now, this particular photograph has never been seen by the public. Grant shot twelve rolls of black and white film that day in July, though only eight images were seen in LIFE. In the years that followed, he created a limited number of prints for licensing and private sale, leaving most of his Monroe archive untouched and unseen by the public. In 2025, Grant's family partnered with Chris Flannery & Jason Greene of 1962 MM LLC to exhibit, print, and offer these rediscovered works in the collection "Marilyn's Lost Photos." Julien's is proud to present one of these "Lost Photos" here. Please visit www.marilynslostphotos.com for more information.