The series contains 3054 Polaroid test shots taken by Robert Mapplethorpe from circa
1979 to 1989. Some of the Polaroids include annotations on lighting angles, filters,
exposure times, and aperture settings. Many relate directly to Mapplethorpe's
editioned prints including, but not limited to: Grace
Jones, 1984; Keith Haring, 1984; Gregory Hines, 1985; Lydia
Cheng, 1985; Patti Smith, 1986; Ed and Melody, 1988; and Watermelon
with Knife, 1985. Also included are three spiral bound notebooks, dated circa
1975-1988, with Polaroids stapled to the pages accompanied by annotations on lighting
angles, filters, exposure times, and aperture settings.
Series II.D. has been digitized. Digital images are provided for study purposes only.
Access to images of works by artists other than Mapplethorpe is available only to
on-site readers and Getty staff.
Arrangement
Materials are arranged according to subject category. Polaroids remain in their
original order as designated by Mapplethorpe or his studio assistants.
Males
915
items
Black male
441
items
box
folder
165
2
Black-and-white
265
items
box
folder
170
2
Color
176
items
White male
474
items
box
folder
167
1
Black-and-white
290
items
box
folder
171
1
Color
184
items
Females
541
items
Black female
54
items
box
folder
165
1
Black-and-white
25
items
box
folder
170
1
Color
29
items
White female
487
items
box
folder
166
1
Black-and-white
325
items
box
folder
170
3
Color
162
items
Couples
123
items
box
folder
167
2
Black-and-white
68
items
box
folder
171
2
Color
55
items
Children
44
items
box
folder
167
3
Black-and-white
37
items
box
folder
170
4
Color
7
items
Fashion
153
items
box
folder
168
3
Black-and-white
97
items
box
folder
172
2
Color and black-and-white
56
items
Still life
640
items
Flowers
445
items
box
folder
168
1
Black-and-white
266
items
box
folder
171
3
Color
179
items
Objects
195
items
box
folder
168
2
Black-and-white
124
items
box
folder
172
1
Color
71
items
4 x 5 Polaroids
239
items
box
folder
168
4
Black-and-white
5
items
box
folder
172
3
Color
127
items
box
folder
173
1
Color
107
items
173
2
Ed and Mel (black-and-white and color)
41
items
Edward Mapplethorpe and Melody Danielson.
173
3
Lisa Lyon (black-and-white and color)
8
items
173
4
Robert (black-and-white and color)
9
items
173
5
Patti Smith (black-and-white and color)
38
items
box
folder
169
1
Miscellaneous (black-and-white and color)
303
items
box
174-176
Spiral notebooks circa 1975-1988
These notebooks contain both color and black-and-white Polaroid test shots of
fashion shoots, other sitters, and of Mapplethorpe himself.
