Visual Analysis of ‘Le Smoking’

Helmut Newton’s ‘Le Smoking’ features two women entwined by the side of an empty Parisian street; one nude apart from court heels and a pillbox hat with a veil, the other sporting slicked back hair clad in a black pinstripe 3-piece suit. At first glance it seems to be a man and woman, however on closer inspection it becomes apparent that the androgynous subject has small shoulders, feminine hands and face. The nude woman is standing behind the suited woman, grasping onto her shoulder and arm each sharing vacant expressions. Acquiring a masculine stance, the woman in the forefront smokes a cigarette casually with her hand in her pocket. Her characterisation is reminiscent of Marlene Dietrich’s performance in ‘Morocco’ (1930), in which she satirises the rigid dichotomy between the sexes during the early 20th century by wearing a tuxedo and top hat. Both Dietrich and the photographs subject borrow male traits, whereas the nude woman adopts a notable sense of fragility by shielding herself. Newton has placed the subjects in an alleyway with streetlamps and a car, which leaves the viewer curious as to the narrative which lead up to the nude woman standing there.

The photograph is evocative of a noir-esque film set; greyscale with downcast lighting, resulting in shadows being thrown onto the subjects’ faces and bodies. Adding to this is the composition of the image, the subjects are placed slightly left within the frame whilst the street disappears behind them slantwise creating a disoriented frame, commonplace of noir films. The structured background and suit conflicts with the nude woman’s fluid human form, breaking up the architectural narrative. The solid black suit creates striking high-contrast with the muted background, this is echoed with the subjects’ dark hair against their light complexions, as well as the brick walls and window bars. The suit brings a lot of darkness to the front of the image by the subject stretching out her leg and arm, forcing the viewer to gravitate towards the front first. Opposing this is the nude woman with her body almost getting lost within the background, the only thing differentiating the two are textures as the subjects are linear, whereas the background is much more painterly. By the subjects being linear, Newton wants them to be the focal point of the image.

Newton is making an obvious reference to sex and androgyny within his image. It appears to be a metaphoric response to societal change. Newton lived through the Second Wave Feminist Movement of 1960-1980 which sought after the liberation of female sexuality and expression, thus giving the female entire autonomy over her relationship to femininity. The featured suit in the photograph is a subtle, yet unapologetic symbol for the empowerment of the female. The ‘emancipated’ woman appears to be protecting the nude woman, vulnerable within her own femininity. It seems as though the nude women should be wearing a dress as she is still wearing heels and headpiece, however it has been removed. This suggests that the narrative of the photograph is the growth of the female, she must eradicate all her preconceived notions of what femininity is to truly become free. The suit from 1975 has developed through to the modern day, with women now wearing tuxedo jackets with nothing underneath. By a woman doing this, she is taking ownership of her sexuality whilst sporting a more masculine frame, whilst remaining comfortable within her femininity. Newton is implying that femininity is not restrained to a dress and heels, but that it can reveal itself in any from because it is completely subjective to the individual. The photograph’s elegant simplicity allows for the message to be received immediately.

Conclusively, Newton’s photograph aims to re-define socially constructed femininity by giving a female ‘masculine’ traits and clothing. It tells a story of progression and change, the realisation that femininity is not weak. Overall the image is simple with the background flat, Newton uses high contrast to bring the subjects forward in order for them to tell their visual story. The suit is the female voice within the narrative, shouting to be noticed and taken seriously.