William Eggleston Portraits is a landmark scholarly volume published to accompany the first exhibition exclusively dedicated to the artist’s pictures of people. While Eggleston is renowned for his “democratic” landscapes, this monograph reveals his equally discerning eye for portraiture. Spanning from the late 1950s to the present, the collection includes over 130 color and black-and-white reproductions. The subjects range from his own family and inner circle in Memphis to legendary musicians like Ike Turner and Alex Chilton. It also documents his brief involvement with Andy Warhol’s Factory scene, featuring portraits of the protégé Viva, as well as cultural icons such as Dennis Hopper and Eudora Welty. The book provides a fresh perspective on Eggleston’s career, showing how he elevates the snapshot into a profound, often cinematic exploration of human identity.
