Bert Stern – Marilyn Monroe – The Last Sitting "Feeling Good"

Bert Stern – Marilyn Monroe ‘Feeling Good’, The Last Sitting, original poster from 1982

This large-format Marilyn Monroe poster, entitled ‘Feeling Good’, features a photograph by the American photographer Bert Stern from his famous photo series ‘The Last Sitting’. The photographs were taken in 1962, just a few weeks before the actress’s death, and are now among the most famous portraits of Marilyn Monroe.

Bert Stern photographed Marilyn Monroe in June 1962 at the Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles. During the photo sessions, which lasted several days, numerous photographs were taken, showing Monroe in a variety of settings – ranging from glamorous fashion portraits to personal, almost intimate moments. After her death, the series was given the title ‘The Last Sitting’ and became a significant document in the history of international photography.

The poster on offer was published in the USA in 1982 as a promotional poster to mark the release of the book ‘The Last Sitting’. It is an offset lithograph on smooth paper and is therefore a historical print from the 1980s, not a later modern reprint or an original photographic print.

Measuring 74 × 58 cm, the poster is an impressive size and is particularly suitable as a decorative wall hanging for enthusiasts of classic photography, film history and Marilyn Monroe.

This copy is in good second-hand condition (condition grade B+) with minor imperfections due to age and wear. The poster is not autographed.

Product details

• Photographer / Artist: Bert Stern (1929–2013)
• Title: Marilyn Monroe – The Last Sitting ‘Feeling Good’
• Subject: Marilyn Monroe
• Photo series: The Last Sitting
• Year taken: 1962
• Year the poster was published: 1982
• Product type: Original advertising poster / photo poster
• Material: Smooth paper
• Occasion: Promotion for the publication of the book ‘The Last Sitting’
• Height: Approx. 74 cm
• Width: Approx. 58 cm
• Country of origin: USA
• Period: 1980s
• Subject: Marilyn Monroe / Film history / Portrait photography
• Signature: Not signed by the artist
• Condition: B+ – good condition with minor imperfections due to age and wear

About Bert Stern and *The Last Sitting*

Bert Stern (1929–2013) was a leading American fashion and portrait photographer who became particularly well known for his work for international magazines such as Vogue. His photographs shaped the visual aesthetic of the 1950s and 1960s, combining glamorous staging with an immediate, personal visual language. 
Stern gained particular fame for his final major photo series featuring Marilyn Monroe (1926–1962) . In June 1962, he photographed the actress for American Vogue. Just a few weeks later, on 4 August 1962, Monroe died at the age of 36.

The photographs, published under the title ‘The Last Sitting’, are among the best-known photographic depictions of the Hollywood iKON. The 1982 promotional poster ‘Feeling Good’ pays homage to this extraordinary photo series and links the fascination with Marilyn Monroe to a significant chapter in American fashion and portrait photography.