Diane Arbus was many things—daughter, sister, wife, mother, godmother, a commercial, fashion and art photographer—but above all she was a human being. This is important to remember because Arbus led a unique and extreme life that many consider to be just as interesting and legendary as her art. Beginning with her wealthy upbringing on Park Avenue and ending in a rent-subsidized artist co-op in the West Village of N.Y.C., some think of her as a classic tragic artist; others do not. You draw your own conclusions—there are lots of ambiguities. Like the photographs she took, Diane's life was black, white and gray.

With her work now in the Smithsonian, the Met and MOMA and also collected by the likes of Richard Gere and Elton John, Arbus' appeal has become vast and pervasive. Ironically, during her lifetime Arbus' original work sold sporadically for around $150 a print and were sometimes spat upon by viewers, now those same Arbus prints can go for more than $500,000.

The best way to appreciate Arbus' work is to seek out her original prints. Go to an exhibition where her work is featured. You can see the original dimensions of the pieces (usually 16" x 20"), the detail and tonal quality of the prints. After that, books are a good choice. Though lacking the precision and impact of the original prints, most books concerning her do represent her work well and serve as good references. Web images of her work are the least accurate because of their small size and resolution.

This web site is not owned or operated by the Estate of Diane Arbus or the Metropolitian Museum of Art.