History of Lee Miller in Timeline

Elizabeth "Lee" Miller, Lady Penrose, was an American photographer and photojournalist renowned for her contributions to both fashion and fine art photography. Initially a successful fashion model in 1920s New York City, she moved to Paris and transitioned to working behind the camera. Miller established herself as a skilled photographer, capturing images that reflected the styles and artistic movements of her time.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Legacy & Impact

April 23, 1907: Lee Miller's Birth

On April 23, 1907, Elizabeth "Lee" Miller, later known as Lady Penrose, was born. She became a celebrated American photographer and photojournalist, initially a fashion model in New York City before transitioning to fashion and fine-art photography in Paris.

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March 15, 1927: Vogue Cover Appearance

On March 15, 1927, Lee Miller's modeling career took off when she appeared on the cover of Vogue magazine. She was featured in a drawing by George Lepape, wearing a blue hat and pearls.

1929: Apprenticeship with Man Ray

In 1929, Lee Miller traveled to Paris and became an apprentice, model, collaborator, lover and muse to the surrealist artist and photographer Man Ray.

1929: Fashion Designer Work

In 1929, Lee Miller was hired by a fashion designer to create drawings of fashion details in Renaissance paintings. However, she grew tired of this work and found photography to be more efficient.

1930: Solarisation Technique

Around 1930, Lee Miller and Man Ray rediscovered the photographic technique of solarisation. Man Ray created a solarised portrait of Miller in Paris.

1930: Appearance in "The Blood of a Poet"

In 1930, Jean Cocteau, mesmerized by Lee Miller's beauty, transformed her into a plaster cast of a classical statue for his film, The Blood of a Poet.

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1930: Man Ray took "Anatomies" photograph of Miller

In 1930, Man Ray took the photograph "Anatomies" of Lee Miller, featuring her neck, during their time together in Paris.

March 1932: Photography Exhibition Review

In March 1932, Katherine Grant Sterne wrote a review in Parnassus, noting that Lee Miller "has retained more of her American character in the Paris milieu. The very beautiful Bird Cages at Brooklyn; the study of a pink-nailed hand embedded in curly blond hair which is included in both the Brooklyn and the Julien Levy show; and the brilliant print of a white statue against a black drop, illuminating it rather than distort it."

1932: Opening of the Lee Miller Studio

In 1932, after leaving Man Ray, Lee Miller returned to New York City and opened the Lee Miller Studio, a portrait and commercial photography studio.

1932: Poughkeepsie Evening Star Interview

In 1932, for the Poughkeepsie Evening Star, Lee Miller stated that photography was "perfectly suited to women as a profession... it seems to me that women have a bigger chance at success in photography than men... women are quicker and more adaptable than men. And I think they have an intuition that helps them understand personalities more quickly than men."

1933: Solarisation Portraits

In 1933, Lee Miller created solarisation portraits of her friend Dorothy Hill, and silent film star Lilian Harvey.

1933: Solo Exhibition

In 1933, Lee Miller received her only solo exhibition at the Julien Levy Gallery.

1934: Four Saints in Three Acts

In 1934, Lee Miller did photography of the African-American cast of the Virgil Thomson–Gertrude Stein opera Four Saints in Three Acts.

1934: Marriage to Aziz Eloui Bey

In 1934, Lee Miller married the Egyptian businessman and engineer Aziz Eloui Bey and abandoned her studio. She lived in Egypt, taking photographs including Portrait of Space.

1937: Return to Paris

In 1937, Lee Miller had grown bored with her life in Cairo and returned to Paris, reconciling with Man Ray and meeting Roland Penrose.

July 1938: Trip with Roland Penrose

In July 1938, Lee Miller took a trip around the Balkans with her lover, the British surrealist painter Roland Penrose.

1938: Roumania Photo Displayed

In 1938, Lee Miller's photograph "Roumania" was displayed at the Zwemmer Gallery's 1940 exhibition, Surrealism To-Day.

1938: Inspiration for Magritte Painting

In 1938, Lee Miller's photograph of the desert near Siwa inspired Magritte's painting Le Baiser.

1939: Egypt, Libya and Sinai Photo Displayed

In 1939, Lee Miller's photographs "Egypt", "Libya", and "Sinai" were displayed at the Zwemmer Gallery's 1940 exhibition, Surrealism To-Day.

1940: Surrealism To-Day exhibition

In 1940, four of Lee Miller's photographs were displayed at the Zwemmer Gallery's Surrealism To-Day exhibition.

1941: Britain at War Exhibition

In 1941, The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) included Lee Miller's work in the exhibition Britain at War in New York City.

December 1942: War Correspondent for Condé Nast

In December 1942, Lee Miller became accredited with the U.S. Army as a war correspondent for Condé Nast Publications, after the British Army would not let her accompany them.

1944: Reporting on Saint-Malo

In 1944, Lee Miller was tasked with reporting on Saint-Malo. She stayed on the front lines for five days, photographing the Battle of Saint-Malo, including the first recorded use of napalm, resulting in her temporary house arrest.

1944: Lee Miller's War: Photographer and Correspondent With the Allies in Europe 1944–45

In 1944, Penrose and David Scherman collaborated on the book Lee Miller's War: Photographer and Correspondent With the Allies in Europe 1944–45.

April 30, 1945: Photograph in Hitler's Bathtub

On April 30, 1945, Lee Miller was photographed by David E. Scherman in Adolf Hitler's private apartment in Munich, sitting in the bathtub, after visiting the Nazi concentration camp at Dachau. Hitler committed suicide on the same day.

November 1946: Assignment for British Vogue

In November 1946, Lee Miller was commissioned by British Vogue to photograph places and people in Dublin connected to James Joyce for an article.

1946: Radio Interview

In 1946, Lee Miller did a radio interview, which can be heard on the audiobook Surrealism Reviewed published in 2002.

1946: Visit to Man Ray

In 1946, Lee Miller traveled to the United States and visited Man Ray in California with Roland Penrose.

May 3, 1947: Marriage to Roland Penrose

On May 3, 1947, after discovering she was pregnant, Lee Miller divorced Bey and married Roland Penrose.

May 1947: American Vogue Article

In May 1947, American Vogue published Lee Miller's photographs of Dublin connected to James Joyce.

September 9, 1947: Birth of Antony Penrose

On September 9, 1947, Lee Miller and Roland Penrose's only son, Antony Penrose, was born.

1949: Purchase of Farley Farm House

In 1949, Lee Miller and Roland Penrose bought Farley Farm House in Chiddingly, East Sussex.

1950: British Vogue Article

In 1950, British Vogue published Lee Miller's photographs of Dublin connected to James Joyce.

1955: The Family of Man Exhibition

In 1955, Lee Miller was included in The Family of Man exhibition curated by Edward Steichen, director of the MoMA Department of Photography.

October 1969: New York Times Interview

In October 1969, Lee Miller was asked in an interview with a New York Times reporter what drew her to photography. Her response was that it was "a matter of getting out on a damn limb and sawing it off behind you."

1977: Lee Miller's Death

In 1977, Lee Miller died of lung cancer at the age of 70 at Farley Farm House. Her ashes were spread in her herb garden at Farley.

1985: The Lives of Lee Miller

In 1985, Lee Miller's son described her alcoholism and recovery from alcohol abuse in his biography, The Lives of Lee Miller.

1985: Publication of Penrose's biography of Miller

In 1985, Roland Penrose's biography of Lee Miller was published, serving as the basis for the 2023 film "Lee".

1992: Collaboration on "Lee Miller's War"

In 1992, Penrose and David Scherman collaborated on the book Lee Miller's War: Photographer and Correspondent With the Allies in Europe 1944–45.

1995: Lee Miller: Through the Mirror Documentary

In 1995, the documentary Lee Miller: Through the Mirror was made with Scherman and writer-director Sylvain Roumette.

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2002: Surrealism Reviewed audiobook

In 2002, the audiobook Surrealism Reviewed was published, and a 1946 radio interview with Lee Miller can be heard on it.

2005: Six Pictures of Lee Miller Musical

In 2005, Lee Miller's life story was turned into a musical, Six Pictures of Lee Miller, with music and lyrics by British composer Jason Carr. It premiered at the Chichester Festival Theatre, West Sussex.

2007: Release of interactive CD and DVD about Miller's war photography

In 2007, "Traces of Lee Miller: Echoes from St. Malo," an interactive CD and DVD exploring Miller's war photography in St. Malo, was released with support from Hand Productions and Sussex University.

2012: Cigarettes After Sex released EP with Miller's photo on the cover

In 2012, dream pop band Cigarettes After Sex released their EP 'I.', which featured a picture of Lee Miller on the cover. The original work was titled "Anatomies" by Man Ray was taken in 1930 during Miller and Ray's time in Paris together. The photo prominently features Miller's neck with her head thrown backwards.

2015: Publication of "The Woman in the Photograph"

In 2015, Dana Gynther published "The Woman in the Photograph," a work of historical fiction centered around Lee Miller's life, work, and relationship with Man Ray in Paris circa 1930.

2015: Exhibition of Miller's photographs at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery

In 2015, the Scottish National Portrait Gallery hosted an exhibition of Lee Miller's photographs titled "Lee Miller and Picasso," focusing on the relationship between Lee Miller, Roland Penrose, and Pablo Picasso.

2019: Release of "The Age of Light"

In 2019, Whitney Scharer released "The Age of Light," a work of historical fiction that builds its story around Lee Miller's life, work, and relationship with Man Ray in Paris circa 1930.

2023: Release of the film "Lee"

In 2023, the film "Lee", directed by Ellen Kuras and starring Kate Winslet as Lee Miller, was released. The film focuses on Miller during World War II, highlighting her photography from events like the Blitz, the liberation of Paris, and the Dachau and Buchenwald concentration camps, and her relationships with David Scherman, Audrey Withers, and Roland Penrose.

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2024: The film Civil War refers to Miller through the character of Lee Smith

In 2024, the film "Civil War" made reference to Lee Miller through the character of Lee Smith. Smith is presented as a famed war photographer, mirroring Miller's career and sharing her first name.

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2025: Scrapbook of unpublished photographs surfaced.

In Fall 2025, a scrapbook assembled by Roland Haupt with unpublished photographs by Miller and Cecil Beaton surfaced from a private collection.

April 2026: Sale of scrapbook to University of Oxford's Bodleian Libraries

In April 2026, photography dealer Michael Hoppen arranged the sale of a scrapbook of unpublished photographs by Miller and Cecil Beaton to the University of Oxford's Bodleian Libraries. The scrapbook includes Miller's World War II photographs and portraits of celebrities.