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{{Short description|British photographer and film director (1933–2016)}}{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
'''David Hamilton''' (born ], ]) is a ] from ].
{{Use British English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = David Hamilton
| image = David Hamilton 2011.JPG
| caption = Hamilton in 2011
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1933|4|15|df=yes}}
| birth_place = London, England
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2016|11|25|1933|4|15|df=yes}}
| death_place = Paris, France
| death_cause = Suicide (])
| occupation = Film director, photographer
}}


'''David Hamilton''' (15 April 1933 – 25 November 2016) was a British photographer and film director best known for his photography of young women and girls, mostly ].<ref name="HamiltonBBC" /> Hamilton's images became part of an "art or pornography" debate.
==Life and Work==
Hamilton grew up in ]. His schooling was interrupted by ]. As a ], he spent some time in the lovely countryside of ], which inspired his work till today. After the war, Hamilton returned to London and finished school before moving to France where he has lived ever since.


==Early life==
His artistic skills began to emerge during a job at an ]'s office. At age 20, he went to ], where he worked as ] for ] of '']'' magazine. After becoming known and successful, he was hired away from ''ELLE'' by '']'' magazine in London as art director. Hamilton soon realized his love for Paris, however, and after returning there became the art director of ], the city's largest department store. Hamilton began photographing commercially while still employed, and the dreamy, grainy style of his images quickly brought him success.
Hamilton was born in 1933 and grew up in London. His schooling was interrupted by ]. As an ], he spent some time in the countryside of ], which inspired some of his work.<ref name="R2"/> After the war, Hamilton returned to London and finished his schooling.
==Career and later life==
]


His artistic skills began to emerge during a job at an architect's office. At age 20, he went to Paris, where he worked as a ] for ] of '']'' magazine. After becoming known and successful, he was hired away from ''Elle'' by '']'' magazine in London as an art director. Hamilton soon realised his love for Paris, however, and after returning there, he became the art director of ], the city's largest department store.<ref name="HamiltonGuardian" /> While Hamilton was still employed at Printemps, he began doing commercial photography, and the dreamy, grainy style of his images quickly brought him success.<ref name="HamiltonTF"/>
His photographs were in great demand by other magazines such as ''Realites'', ''Twen'' and ''Photo''. By the end of the sixties, Hamilton's work had a recognizeable style. His further success included many dozens of photographic books with combined sales well into the millions, five feature films, countless magazine publishings and scores of museum and gallery exhibitions. In December, 1977, ] in New York City ran a show of his photographs, at about the same time that ] was released. He also maintained an apartment in New York. His ] style also came back into fashion at ''Vogue'', ''ELLE'' and other high-class fashion magazines from around ]. David Hamilton is married to ], who was a model in many of his early photobooks and made her screen debut in '']''.
His photographs were in demand by other magazines such as '']'', '']'' and '']''. By the end of the 1960s, all of Hamilton's photographs appeared to have been snapped as if through a hazy mist. His further successes included dozens of photographic books with combined sales well into the millions; five feature films; countless magazine displays and museum and gallery exhibitions. His work was exhibited in every one of the first three years of ], London, but was roundly condemned by photojournalist ] for its "cliched pictorial symbolism, exploiting soft focus, pastel colours, country landscapes and old houses, old fashioned clothes and even white doves to give a phoney impression of heaIthy-food ad naturalness; they are a sort of wholemeal stoneground pornography," exhibited "because the gallery needs the money."<ref name="R3"/>


In December 1977, Images Gallery — a studio owned by Bob Persky<ref name="R4"/> at 11 East 57th Street in ] — showed his photographs at the same time that '']''<ref name="R5"/> was released.<ref name="HamiltonTF" /> At that time, art critic Gene Thornton wrote in ''The New York Times'' that they reveal "the kind of ideal that regularly was expressed in the great paintings of the past". Hamilton has said that his work looks for "the candor of a lost paradise". In his book, ''Contemporary Photographers'', curator Christian Caujolle wrote that Hamilton worked only with two fixed devices: "a clear pictorial intention and a latent eroticism, ostensibly romantic, but asking for trouble".<ref name="R6"/>
==Controversy==
As much of Hamilton's work depicts early-teen girls, often in a state of partial disrobe, he has been the subject of some controversy and even ] allegations, mostly from North America and Britain, similar to that which the work of ] and ] have attracted. In the late ], American extreem christian conservatives protested bookstores that stocked Hamilton's photography books but their efforts came to nothing. Because of differing attitudes regarding age and nudity, Hamilton has not received this negative attention in his adopted home of France, nor in the rest of the world.
In 1995, Hamilton said that people "have made contradictions of nudity and purity, sensuality and innocence, grace and spontaneity. I try to harmonize them, and that's my secret and the reason for my success".<ref name="HamiltonTF" /> Besides depicting young women and girls, Hamilton composed photographs of flowers, men, landscapes, farm animals, pigeons, and still lifes of fresh fruit. Several of his photographs look like oil paintings. Most of his work gives the impression of timelessness because of the absence of cars, modern buildings and advertisement boards. In 1976, Denise Couttès explained Hamilton's phenomenal success on page 6 of ''The Best of David Hamilton''. His images, she wrote, "express escapism. People can only escape from the violence and cruelty of the modern world through dreams and nostalgia".<ref name="HamiltonTF" />
His ] style came back into fashion at ''Vogue'', ''Elle'', and other fashion magazines beginning around 2003. Hamilton had been in a relationship with Mona Kristensen (b. 1950),<ref name="HamiltonTF" />{{when|date=November 2016}} a model in many of his early photobooks who made her screen debut in ''Bilitis''. Later, he married Gertrude Versyp, who co-designed ''The Age of Innocence,''<ref name="R7"/> but they divorced amicably.
Hamilton divided his time between ] and Paris. He had been enjoying a revival in popularity since 2005. In 2006, ''David Hamilton'', a collection of captioned photographs, and ''Erotic Tales'', which contains Hamilton's fictional short stories, were published.<ref name="HamiltonTF" />
At the time of his death, Hamilton had another book in the works, a monograph about ]. He was working with Jelica Bujić, who was his first and last photography assistant.<ref name="RJB"/>


==Reception==
In 2005 a member of the ] Police in Britain wrongly claimed that possessing Hamilton books was now illegal in the UK. Surrey Police were later forced to make a formal apology for the incorrect and unsubstantiated allegations made by Detective constable Simon Ledger (see: ''British Journal of Photography'', September 2005), and admitted that no legally binding decision had been made on the work of David Hamilton.
Much of Hamilton's work depicted early-teen girls, often nude, and he was the subject of some controversy including ] allegations, similar to those which the work of ] and ] have attracted. For moral reasons, several of Hamilton's books were banned in South Africa.<ref name="R8"/>
In the late 1990s, conservative Christian groups in America unsuccessfully protested against bookstores selling Hamilton's photography books.<ref name="R9"/> As Chris Warmoll, writing for '']'' in 2005, commented, "Hamilton's photographs have long been at the forefront of the 'is it art or pornography?' debate."<ref name="Guardian"/>
In 2005, a man in the UK was convicted for being in possession of 19,000 images of children, including photos by Hamilton. The images were found to have the lowest indecency rating. In response, Glenn Holland, Hamilton's spokesman, said: "We are deeply saddened and disappointed by this, as David is one of the most successful art photographers the world has ever known. His books have sold millions".<ref name="Guardian"/>
In 2010, a man was convicted of level 1 child pornography for owning four books, including Hamilton's '']'' as well as '']'' by Sally Mann, which he purchased from a bookstore in ], London. His conviction was overturned on appeal in 2011, with the judge calling his conviction "very unfair" and criticising the ] (CPS) for prosecuting him. The judge concluded that "If the wishes to test whether the pictures in the books are indecent, the right way to deal with the matter is by way of prosecuting the publisher or retailer – not the individual purchaser."<ref name=justice/><ref name=register/><ref name="R10"/>
==Sexual assault allegations==
In October 2016, French presenter ] accused him of raping her in 1987, when she was 13 years old. In November 2016, French magazine '']'' published anonymous accounts from three other former models who claimed to have been raped by Hamilton. Hamilton issued a statement threatening legal action against his accusers and claimed that he did not do anything wrong. On 25 November 2016, he was found dead in his Paris apartment by apparent suicide.<ref name="R1"/>


On 22 October 2016, ], the host of the French talk-show ''Salut les Terriens!'' on TNT C8 channel, named Hamilton as the alleged rapist of now radio ] presenter ]. According to Flament, the acts were committed in 1987, when she was 13 years old, in ], a ] in Hérault, southern France. She mentions them in her novel ''La consolation'', a romanticised story based on her purported life experiences. After Flament publicly identified Hamilton, the book led to Hamilton being accused of being a predatory paedophile.<ref name="HamiltonBBC" /><ref name="R11"/><ref name="R12"/><ref name="R13"/><ref name="R14"/><ref name="R15"/><ref name="R16"/><ref name="R17"/><ref name="R18"/> Flament's brother has called certain revelations in her book into question. He also states that at the time Flavie complained of inappropriate behaviour by the photographer resulting in her parents stopping Hamilton from continuing with her.<ref name="R19"/>
Even so, the porn or art controversy continues however, due to Hamilton's use of Glenn Holland as his spokesman and webmaster. Since it was first created and brought onto the Internet, the website has been run by webmaster Glenn Holland, who was convicted in Australia of sexually assaulting a child in 1988 (as reported by ), has since been fined for importing child pornography into Australia and in the 1990's was charged but not convicted of at least one other sex crime. In August of 2005 more controversy followed as, Janet McIntyre, of TV New Zealand featured Holland in a report. Soon after, Holland's name was removed from the Hamilton website, even though he was still officially the webmaster.


On 22 November 2016, Hamilton issued a statement threatening legal action against his accusers.<ref name="R20"/><ref name="HamiltonSky"/> When contacted by the French press agency ], Hamilton declared that he was not to blame. "I didn't do anything wrong," he said, while claiming only that he took a portrait of Flament, "29 or 30 years ago". Flament put the portrait on the cover of ''La consolation''.<ref name="HamiltonGuardian"/><ref name="R21"/>
The , wrote: Hamilton's photographs have long been at the forefront of the "is it art or pornography?" debate. Glenn Holland, spokesman for the 73-year-old photographer, who lives in St Tropez, said: "We are deeply saddened and disappointed by this, as David is one of the most successful art photographers the world has ever known. His books have sold millions".
On 17 November 2016, the ] '']'' published anonymous accounts by three other former models who claimed to have been raped by Hamilton.<ref name="R22"/><ref name="R23"/><ref name="R24"/> One day later, Flament claimed that Hamilton was the rapist whom she had not identified in her book.


==Books and films== == Death ==
On the evening of 25 November 2016, Hamilton's cleaning lady entered the apartment of the 83-year-old photographer at 41 ]<ref name="R25"/> in southern Paris and found him dead with a plastic bag over his head and medications close at hand.{{cn|date=April 2019}} The autopsy revealed that ]tion was the cause of death. Suicide is the leading hypothesis in the investigation.<ref name="HamiltonBBC"/><ref name="HamiltonGuardian" /><ref name="R26"/><ref name="R27"/><ref name="R28"/><ref name="R29"/><ref name="R30"/>

Some of David Hamilton's photograph books are:-
==Publications==

===Photo books===
* '']'' (1971)
{{Div col}}
* '']'' (1972)
* ''] (1972) * ''Dreams of a Young Girl'' (1971)
* ''Sisters'' (1972)
* '']'' (1974)
* ''La Danse'' (1972)
* '']'' (1976)
* ''Galeria Old Home'' (1974, Private)
* '']'' (1976)
* '']'' (1977) * ''The Best of David Hamilton'' (1976)
* ''Private Collection'' (1976)
* '']'' (1978)
* ''Bilitis'' (1977)
* '']'' (1981)
* ''Souvenirs'' (1978)
* '']'' (1993)
* ''The Young Girl'' (1978)
* '']'' (1995)
* ''Secret Garden'' (1980)
* '']'' (1996)
* ''Tender Cousins'' (1981)
* '']'' (1999)
* ''Silk Wind'' (1982)

* ''A Summer in St. Tropez'' (1983)
Hamilton's films were:-
* ''Jun Miho'' (1983)

* ''Homage to Painting'' or ''Images'' (1984)
* '']'' (1977)
* '']'' (1979) * ''Maiko Minami'' (1987)
* '']'' (1981) * ''Venice'' (1989)
* '']'' (1980) * ''Flowers'' (1990)
* '']'' (1983) * ''Blooming Minayo: 28 September'' (1992)
* '']'' (1993)
* ''The Fantasies of Girls'' (1994)
* '']'' (1995)
* ''Harem: Asami and Friends'' (1995)
* ''A Place In The Sun'' (1996)
* ''Holiday Snapshots'' (1999)
* ''David Hamilton'' (2006)
* ''Erotic Tales'' (2007)
{{Div col end}}


===Portfolios===
* ''Souvenirs'' (1974)
* ''Flower Girls'' (1979)
* ''Shadows of a Summer'' (1979)
* ''The White Pebble'' (1980)
* ''The Great Silver Photography'' (1984)
==Films==
* '']'' (1977)
* '']'' (1979)
* '']'' (1980)<ref name="R31"/>
* '']'' (1983)
* '']'' (1984)
==See also==
<!---♦♦♦ Please keep the list in alphabetical order by LAST NAME ♦♦♦--->
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
* ]
==References==
{{Reflist|30em|refs=
<ref name="R1">{{Cite web
| url = https://fstoppers.com/originals/suicide-david-hamilton-and-debate-over-child-nudity-portraiture-155228
| title = The Suicide of David Hamilton and the Debate over Child Nudity in Portraiture
| date = 29 November 2016}}
</ref>
<ref name="R2">{{cite book
| last = Hamilton | first = David | title = Twenty Five Years of an Artist | year = 1993
| publisher = ] | isbn = 978-1-85410-266-9
| title-link = Twenty Five Years of an Artist }}
</ref>
<ref name="HamiltonTF">{{cite journal
| title = Remembrance of things past: The cultural context and the rise and fall in the popularity of photographer David Hamilton
| last = Hinton | first = Perry | date = 11 April 2016 | doi = 10.1080/23311983.2016.1164930
| volume = 3 | journal = Cogent Arts & Humanities | s2cid = 191370753
| url = http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/79273/1/WRAP_Remembrance%20of%20things%20past%20The%20cultural%20context.pdf
| doi-access = free}}
</ref>
<ref name="R3">Euan Duff, 'Hamilton exhibition at the Photographers' Gallery,' The Guardian, Sat, Dec 1, 1973 p.10
</ref>
<ref name="R4">{{Cite web
| url = https://www.forevermissed.com/robert-samuel-persky/
| title = Robert Samuel Persky's life story, (1930 - 2013) | first = steve | last = persky
| website = www.forevermissed.com}}
</ref>
<ref name="R5">{{Cite web
| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_ABT1bVeWY
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180524053602/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u_ABT1bVeWY&gl=US&hl=en
| archive-date = 2018-05-24 | url-status = dead | title = - YouTube | website = www.youtube.com}}
</ref>
<ref name="R6">, ''The New York Times'', 28 November 2016
</ref>
<ref name="R7">{{cite book
| last = Hamilton | first = David | title = The Age of Innocence | year = 1995
| publisher = ] | isbn = 978-1-85410-304-8
| title-link = The Age of Innocence (Hamilton book) }}
</ref>
<ref name="R8">{{cite web
| title = Censored publications – Hamilton, David
| url = http://search.beaconforfreedom.org/search/censored_publications/result.html?author=Hamilton%2C+David&cauthor=&title=&country=&language=&censored_year=&censortype=&published_year=&censorreason=&Search=Search
| work = Beacon for Freedom of Expression
| publisher = National Library of Norway
| access-date = 14 March 2014
| archive-date = 30 September 2021
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210930163145/http://search.beaconforfreedom.org/search/censored_publications/result.html?author=Hamilton%2C+David&cauthor=&title=&country=&language=&censored_year=&censortype=&published_year=&censorreason=&Search=Search
| url-status = usurped
}}</ref>
<ref name="R9">{{cite web
| url = https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/20/us/barnes-noble-vows-to-stock-art-books-despite-indictments.html
| title = Barnes & Noble Vows to Stock Art Books Despite Indictments | date = 20 February 1998
| work = The New York Times}}
</ref>
<ref name="Guardian">{{cite news
| first = Chris | last = Warmoll | date = 14 July 2005
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2005/jun/23/photography.art
| title = Hamilton's naked girl shots ruled 'indecent' | department = Culture | work = The Guardian
| location = London | access-date = 15 February 2005}}
</ref>
<ref name=justice>{{cite web
| url = http://justicedenied.org/wordpress/archives/850
| title = Child Pornography Conviction Tossed For Possessing Books Available on Amazon.com
| last1 = Sheerer | first1 = Hans | work = ] | access-date = 15 February 2013}}
</ref>
<ref name=register>{{cite web
| url = https://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/02/24/bookshop_conviction_overturned/
| title = Conviction overturned for abuse images bought from bookshop | last1 = Oates
| first1 = John | date = 24 February 2011 | work = ]
| access-date = 15 February 2013}}
</ref>
<ref name="R10">{{cite news
| title = Judge criticises CPS for prosecuting man for pictures available in bookshops
| date = 24 February 2011
| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/law-and-order/8342873/Judge-criticises-CPS-for-prosecuting-man-for-pictures-available-in-bookshops.html
| work = ] | access-date = 17 February 2013}}
</ref>
<ref name="R11">{{cite news | url = https://www.letemps.ch/opinions/2016/10/25/david-hamilton-photographe-jeunes-filles-fleur-accuse-davoir-abuse-flavie | title = David Hamilton, le photographe des jeunes filles en fleur, est accusé d'avoir abusé de Flavie Flament | newspaper = Le Temps | date = 25 October 2016 | last1 = Revello | first1 = Sylvia | access-date = 25 October 2016 | archive-date = 26 October 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161026000616/https://www.letemps.ch/opinions/2016/10/25/david-hamilton-photographe-jeunes-filles-fleur-accuse-davoir-abuse-flavie | url-status = dead }}</ref>
<ref name="R12">{{cite web
| url = http://www.leparisien.fr/culture-loisirs/une-epoque-ou-l-on-faisait-poser-nues-des-ados-19-10-2016-6225363.php
| title = Une époque où l'on faisait poser nues des ados | date = 25 November 2016}}
</ref>
<ref name="R13">{{cite web
| url = http://www.bfmtv.com/mediaplayer/video/flavie-flament-violee-qui-est-david-hamilton-le-photographe-accuse-video-878961.html
| title = Flavie Flament violée, qui est David Hamilton le photographe accusé ? (vidéo)
| last = BFMTV
| access-date = 27 October 2016
| archive-date = 28 October 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161028123751/http://www.bfmtv.com/mediaplayer/video/flavie-flament-violee-qui-est-david-hamilton-le-photographe-accuse-video-878961.html
| url-status = dead
}}</ref>
<ref name="R14">{{cite web
| url = http://www.francesoir.fr/culture-medias/affaire-flavie-flament-david-hamilton-agresseur-presume-et-photographe-amateur-de
| title = Affaire Flavie Flament: David Hamilton, agresseur présumé et photographe amateur de jeunes filles dénudées
| date = 24 October 2016}}
</ref>
<ref name="R15">{{cite web
| url = http://www.abc.es/estilo/gente/abci-acusan-fotografo-david-hamilton-violar-protagonistas-desnudos-201610200104_noticia.html
| title = Acusan al fotógrafo David Hamilton de violar a las protagonistas de sus desnudos
| date = 20 October 2016}}
</ref>
<ref name="R16">{{cite web
| url = http://www.elperiodico.com/es/noticias/gente/flavie-flamant-afirma-david-hamilton-fotografo-mundialmente-famoso-abusos-sexuales-5580155
| title = David Hamilton, retratado por la sospecha | first = Mireya | last = Roca
| date = 23 October 2016}}
</ref>
<ref name="R17">{{Cite web
| url = https://www.europe1.fr/people/viol-de-flavie-flament-le-photographe-david-hamilton-se-defend-2883656
| title = Viol de Flavie Flament : le photographe David Hamilton se défend | website = Europe 1}}
</ref>
<ref name="R18">{{cite web
| url = http://www.huffingtonpost.fr/2016/10/27/david-hamilton-le-photographe-accuse-davoir-viole-flavie-flame/
| title = David Hamilton, le photographe accusé par les internautes d'avoir violé Flavie Flament s'explique
| access-date = 27 October 2016
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161116091522/http://www.huffingtonpost.fr/2016/10/27/david-hamilton-le-photographe-accuse-davoir-viole-flavie-flame/
| archive-date = 16 November 2016 | url-status = dead}}
</ref>
<ref name="R19">{{cite news
| url = http://www.sudouest.fr/2016/10/26/le-frere-de-flavie-flament-remet-en-cause-certaines-revelations-de-son-livre-2547964-5581.php
| title = Le frère de Flavie Flament remet en cause certaines révélations de son livre
| first = illustration Augustin | last = Détienne| date = 26 October 2016
}}
</ref>
<ref name="R20">{{cite news
| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/25/british-photographer-david-hamilton-dies-paris-police-source/
| title = British photographer David Hamilton found dead in Paris, as his alleged rape victims say he has escaped justice
| newspaper = The Telegraph | date = 30 November 2016 | last1 = Samuel | first1 = Henry}}
</ref>
<ref name="HamiltonSky">{{cite web
| url = http://news.sky.com/story/british-photographer-david-hamilton-found-dead-says-police-source-10672216
| title = Alleged rape victim 'horrified' after death of photographer David Hamilton
| date = 26 November 2016 | publisher = Sky News | access-date = 26 November 2016}}
</ref>
<ref name="HamiltonGuardian">{{cite news
| url = https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/nov/25/photographer-david-hamilton-found-dead-paris
| title = Photographer David Hamilton found dead in Paris | date = 25 November 2016
| work = The Guardian | access-date = 26 November 2016}}
</ref>
<ref name="R21">{{Cite web
| url = https://www.lindependant.fr/2016/11/22/accuse-de-viol-david-hamilton-veut-porter-plainte-contre-flavie-flament,2277928.php
| title = Accusé de viol, David Hamilton veut porter plainte contre Flavie Flament
| website = lindependant.fr}}
</ref>
<ref name="R22">{{Cite news
| url = http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/societe/20161123.OBS1630/david-hamilton-le-chasseur-de-jeunes-filles.html
| title = David Hamilton, le chasseur de jeunes filles | newspaper = L'Obs | language = fr-FR
| access-date = 27 November 2016}}
</ref>
<ref name="R23">{{Cite news
| url = http://www.lefigaro.fr/actualite-france/2016/11/17/01016-20161117ARTFIG00131-apres-flavie-flament-trois-nouvelles-accusations-de-viol-contre-le-photographe-david-hamilton.php
| title = Après Flavie Flament, trois nouvelles accusations de viol contre le photographe David Hamilton
| last = Louis | first = Paul | date = 17 November 2016 | newspaper = Le Figaro | language = fr-FR
| issn = 0182-5852 | access-date = 27 November 2016}}
</ref>
<ref name="R24">{{Cite news
| url = http://tempsreel.nouvelobs.com/societe/20161116.OBS1313/affaire-flavie-flament-d-autres-femmes-accusent-david-hamilton-de-viol.html
| title = Affaire Flavie Flament : d'autres femmes accusent David Hamilton de viol
| newspaper = L'Obs | language = fr-FR | access-date = 27 November 2016}}
</ref>
<ref name="R25">{{Cite web
| url = https://www.google.com/maps/place/41+Boulevard+du+Montparnasse,+75006+Paris,+France/@48.844692,2.3215364,3a,30y,16.49h,94.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQzM2Fps6Sr8IlzY0SFj7FA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x47e671cd2e3e51f7:0x294c223653ddb506!2s41+Boulevard+du+Montparnasse,+75006+Paris,+France!3b1!8m2!3d48.8446619!4d2.3214923!3m4!1s0x47e671cd2e3e51f7:0x294c223653ddb506!8m2!3d48.8446619!4d2.3214923
| title = Google Maps}}
</ref>
<ref name="HamiltonBBC">{{cite news
| url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38111636
| title = UK photographer David Hamilton dies, aged 83 | date = 26 November 2016 | work = BBC News
| access-date = 26 November 2016}}
</ref>
<ref name="R26">, ''The Washington Post'', 30 November 2016
</ref>
<ref name="R27">{{cite news
| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/11/25/british-photographer-david-hamilton-dies-paris-police-source/
| title = British photographer David Hamilton found dead in Paris | newspaper = The Telegraph
| date = 30 November 2016 | last1 = Samuel | first1 = Henry}}
</ref>
<ref name="R28">{{Cite news | url = http://photographemarocain.com/david-hamilton-mort-dun-photographe-controverse/ | title = David Hamilton, mort d'un photographe controversé {{!}} PM | date = 26 November 2016 | newspaper = PM | language = fr-FR | access-date = 26 November 2016 | archive-date = 27 November 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20161127023720/http://photographemarocain.com/david-hamilton-mort-dun-photographe-controverse/ | url-status = dead }}</ref>
<ref name="R29">, France 24, 26 November 2016
</ref>
<ref name="R30">{{Cite news
| url = https://www.haaretz.com/life/.premium-the-can-of-worms-left-after-accused-photographer-s-suicide-1.5469514
| title = The Can of Worms Opened After Iconic Photographer Accused of Rape Commits Suicide
| newspaper = Haaretz | date = 6 December 2016 | last1 = Bar | first1 = Roni}}
</ref>
<ref name="R31">{{Cite web
| url = http://putlockers.fm/watch/yGDk0Nx6-tendres-cousines.html
| title = Watch Tendres Cousines Online &#124; Watch Full HD Tendres Cousines (1980) Online For Free PutLockers
| website = putlockers.fm}}
</ref>
<ref name="RJB">{{cite web
| title = RAZOTKRIVANJE - Jelica BUJIĆ: Uvijek nešto mjerim i preispitujem se
| trans-title = DISCLOSURE - Jelica BUJIĆ: Always measuring something and questioning myself
| last = Popović | first = Ana | date = 30 October 2016 | publisher = Analitika | language = hr
| location = Podgorica
| url = https://www.portalanalitika.me/clanak/248422--razotkrivanje-jelica-bujic-uvijek-nesto-mjerim-i-preispitujem-se
| access-date = 28 August 2022}}
</ref>
}}
==External links== ==External links==
{{Commonscat}}
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* {{imdb name|name=David Hamilton|id=0357807}} * {{IMDb name|name=David Hamilton|id =0357807}}

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Latest revision as of 01:00, 22 December 2024

British photographer and film director (1933–2016)

David Hamilton
Hamilton in 2011
Born(1933-04-15)15 April 1933
London, England
Died25 November 2016(2016-11-25) (aged 83)
Paris, France
Cause of deathSuicide (asphyxiation)
Occupation(s)Film director, photographer

David Hamilton (15 April 1933 – 25 November 2016) was a British photographer and film director best known for his photography of young women and girls, mostly nude. Hamilton's images became part of an "art or pornography" debate.

Early life

Hamilton was born in 1933 and grew up in London. His schooling was interrupted by World War II. As an evacuee, he spent some time in the countryside of Dorset, which inspired some of his work. After the war, Hamilton returned to London and finished his schooling.

Career and later life

Hamilton in 2012

His artistic skills began to emerge during a job at an architect's office. At age 20, he went to Paris, where he worked as a graphic designer for Peter Knapp of Elle magazine. After becoming known and successful, he was hired away from Elle by Queen magazine in London as an art director. Hamilton soon realised his love for Paris, however, and after returning there, he became the art director of Printemps, the city's largest department store. While Hamilton was still employed at Printemps, he began doing commercial photography, and the dreamy, grainy style of his images quickly brought him success.

His photographs were in demand by other magazines such as Réalités, Twen and Photo. By the end of the 1960s, all of Hamilton's photographs appeared to have been snapped as if through a hazy mist. His further successes included dozens of photographic books with combined sales well into the millions; five feature films; countless magazine displays and museum and gallery exhibitions. His work was exhibited in every one of the first three years of The Photographers' Gallery, London, but was roundly condemned by photojournalist Euan Duff for its "cliched pictorial symbolism, exploiting soft focus, pastel colours, country landscapes and old houses, old fashioned clothes and even white doves to give a phoney impression of heaIthy-food ad naturalness; they are a sort of wholemeal stoneground pornography," exhibited "because the gallery needs the money."

In December 1977, Images Gallery — a studio owned by Bob Persky at 11 East 57th Street in Manhattan — showed his photographs at the same time that Bilitis was released. At that time, art critic Gene Thornton wrote in The New York Times that they reveal "the kind of ideal that regularly was expressed in the great paintings of the past". Hamilton has said that his work looks for "the candor of a lost paradise". In his book, Contemporary Photographers, curator Christian Caujolle wrote that Hamilton worked only with two fixed devices: "a clear pictorial intention and a latent eroticism, ostensibly romantic, but asking for trouble".

In 1995, Hamilton said that people "have made contradictions of nudity and purity, sensuality and innocence, grace and spontaneity. I try to harmonize them, and that's my secret and the reason for my success". Besides depicting young women and girls, Hamilton composed photographs of flowers, men, landscapes, farm animals, pigeons, and still lifes of fresh fruit. Several of his photographs look like oil paintings. Most of his work gives the impression of timelessness because of the absence of cars, modern buildings and advertisement boards. In 1976, Denise Couttès explained Hamilton's phenomenal success on page 6 of The Best of David Hamilton. His images, she wrote, "express escapism. People can only escape from the violence and cruelty of the modern world through dreams and nostalgia".

His soft focus style came back into fashion at Vogue, Elle, and other fashion magazines beginning around 2003. Hamilton had been in a relationship with Mona Kristensen (b. 1950), a model in many of his early photobooks who made her screen debut in Bilitis. Later, he married Gertrude Versyp, who co-designed The Age of Innocence, but they divorced amicably.

Hamilton divided his time between Saint-Tropez and Paris. He had been enjoying a revival in popularity since 2005. In 2006, David Hamilton, a collection of captioned photographs, and Erotic Tales, which contains Hamilton's fictional short stories, were published.

At the time of his death, Hamilton had another book in the works, a monograph about Montenegro. He was working with Jelica Bujić, who was his first and last photography assistant.

Reception

Much of Hamilton's work depicted early-teen girls, often nude, and he was the subject of some controversy including child pornography allegations, similar to those which the work of Sally Mann and Jock Sturges have attracted. For moral reasons, several of Hamilton's books were banned in South Africa.

In the late 1990s, conservative Christian groups in America unsuccessfully protested against bookstores selling Hamilton's photography books. As Chris Warmoll, writing for The Guardian in 2005, commented, "Hamilton's photographs have long been at the forefront of the 'is it art or pornography?' debate."

In 2005, a man in the UK was convicted for being in possession of 19,000 images of children, including photos by Hamilton. The images were found to have the lowest indecency rating. In response, Glenn Holland, Hamilton's spokesman, said: "We are deeply saddened and disappointed by this, as David is one of the most successful art photographers the world has ever known. His books have sold millions".

In 2010, a man was convicted of level 1 child pornography for owning four books, including Hamilton's The Age of Innocence as well as Still Time by Sally Mann, which he purchased from a bookstore in Walthamstow, London. His conviction was overturned on appeal in 2011, with the judge calling his conviction "very unfair" and criticising the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for prosecuting him. The judge concluded that "If the wishes to test whether the pictures in the books are indecent, the right way to deal with the matter is by way of prosecuting the publisher or retailer – not the individual purchaser."

Sexual assault allegations

In October 2016, French presenter Flavie Flament accused him of raping her in 1987, when she was 13 years old. In November 2016, French magazine L'Obs published anonymous accounts from three other former models who claimed to have been raped by Hamilton. Hamilton issued a statement threatening legal action against his accusers and claimed that he did not do anything wrong. On 25 November 2016, he was found dead in his Paris apartment by apparent suicide.

On 22 October 2016, Thierry Ardisson, the host of the French talk-show Salut les Terriens! on TNT C8 channel, named Hamilton as the alleged rapist of now radio RTL presenter Flavie Flament. According to Flament, the acts were committed in 1987, when she was 13 years old, in Cap d'Agde, a naturist resort in Hérault, southern France. She mentions them in her novel La consolation, a romanticised story based on her purported life experiences. After Flament publicly identified Hamilton, the book led to Hamilton being accused of being a predatory paedophile. Flament's brother has called certain revelations in her book into question. He also states that at the time Flavie complained of inappropriate behaviour by the photographer resulting in her parents stopping Hamilton from continuing with her.

On 22 November 2016, Hamilton issued a statement threatening legal action against his accusers. When contacted by the French press agency AFP, Hamilton declared that he was not to blame. "I didn't do anything wrong," he said, while claiming only that he took a portrait of Flament, "29 or 30 years ago". Flament put the portrait on the cover of La consolation.

On 17 November 2016, the weekly news magazine L'Obs published anonymous accounts by three other former models who claimed to have been raped by Hamilton. One day later, Flament claimed that Hamilton was the rapist whom she had not identified in her book.

Death

On the evening of 25 November 2016, Hamilton's cleaning lady entered the apartment of the 83-year-old photographer at 41 Boulevard Montparnasse in southern Paris and found him dead with a plastic bag over his head and medications close at hand. The autopsy revealed that asphyxiation was the cause of death. Suicide is the leading hypothesis in the investigation.

Publications

Photo books

  • Dreams of a Young Girl (1971)
  • Sisters (1972)
  • La Danse (1972)
  • Galeria Old Home (1974, Private)
  • The Best of David Hamilton (1976)
  • Private Collection (1976)
  • Bilitis (1977)
  • Souvenirs (1978)
  • The Young Girl (1978)
  • Secret Garden (1980)
  • Tender Cousins (1981)
  • Silk Wind (1982)
  • A Summer in St. Tropez (1983)
  • Jun Miho (1983)
  • Homage to Painting or Images (1984)
  • Maiko Minami (1987)
  • Venice (1989)
  • Flowers (1990)
  • Blooming Minayo: 28 September (1992)
  • Twenty Five Years of an Artist (1993)
  • The Fantasies of Girls (1994)
  • The Age of Innocence (1995)
  • Harem: Asami and Friends (1995)
  • A Place In The Sun (1996)
  • Holiday Snapshots (1999)
  • David Hamilton (2006)
  • Erotic Tales (2007)

Portfolios

  • Souvenirs (1974)
  • Flower Girls (1979)
  • Shadows of a Summer (1979)
  • The White Pebble (1980)
  • The Great Silver Photography (1984)

Films

See also

References

  1. ^ "UK photographer David Hamilton dies, aged 83". BBC News. 26 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  2. Hamilton, David (1993). Twenty Five Years of an Artist. Aurum Press. ISBN 978-1-85410-266-9.
  3. ^ "Photographer David Hamilton found dead in Paris". The Guardian. 25 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  4. ^ Hinton, Perry (11 April 2016). "Remembrance of things past: The cultural context and the rise and fall in the popularity of photographer David Hamilton" (PDF). Cogent Arts & Humanities. 3. doi:10.1080/23311983.2016.1164930. S2CID 191370753.
  5. Euan Duff, 'Hamilton exhibition at the Photographers' Gallery,' The Guardian, Sat, Dec 1, 1973 p.10
  6. persky, steve. "Robert Samuel Persky's life story, (1930 - 2013)". www.forevermissed.com.
  7. "- YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 24 May 2018.
  8. David Hamilton, photographer known for nude images of girls, dies at 83, The New York Times, 28 November 2016
  9. Hamilton, David (1995). The Age of Innocence. Aurum Press. ISBN 978-1-85410-304-8.
  10. Popović, Ana (30 October 2016). "RAZOTKRIVANJE - Jelica BUJIĆ: Uvijek nešto mjerim i preispitujem se" [DISCLOSURE - Jelica BUJIĆ: Always measuring something and questioning myself] (in Croatian). Podgorica: Analitika. Retrieved 28 August 2022.
  11. "Censored publications – Hamilton, David". Beacon for Freedom of Expression. National Library of Norway. Archived from the original on 30 September 2021. Retrieved 14 March 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  12. "Barnes & Noble Vows to Stock Art Books Despite Indictments". The New York Times. 20 February 1998.
  13. ^ Warmoll, Chris (14 July 2005). "Hamilton's naked girl shots ruled 'indecent'". Culture. The Guardian. London. Retrieved 15 February 2005.
  14. Sheerer, Hans. "Child Pornography Conviction Tossed For Possessing Books Available on Amazon.com". Justice Denied. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  15. Oates, John (24 February 2011). "Conviction overturned for abuse images bought from bookshop". The Register. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
  16. "Judge criticises CPS for prosecuting man for pictures available in bookshops". The Daily Telegraph. 24 February 2011. Retrieved 17 February 2013.
  17. "The Suicide of David Hamilton and the Debate over Child Nudity in Portraiture". 29 November 2016.
  18. Revello, Sylvia (25 October 2016). "David Hamilton, le photographe des jeunes filles en fleur, est accusé d'avoir abusé de Flavie Flament". Le Temps. Archived from the original on 26 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  19. "Une époque où l'on faisait poser nues des ados". 25 November 2016.
  20. BFMTV. "Flavie Flament violée, qui est David Hamilton le photographe accusé ? (vidéo)". Archived from the original on 28 October 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  21. "Affaire Flavie Flament: David Hamilton, agresseur présumé et photographe amateur de jeunes filles dénudées". 24 October 2016.
  22. "Acusan al fotógrafo David Hamilton de violar a las protagonistas de sus desnudos". 20 October 2016.
  23. Roca, Mireya (23 October 2016). "David Hamilton, retratado por la sospecha".
  24. "Viol de Flavie Flament : le photographe David Hamilton se défend". Europe 1.
  25. "David Hamilton, le photographe accusé par les internautes d'avoir violé Flavie Flament s'explique". Archived from the original on 16 November 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2016.
  26. Détienne, illustration Augustin (26 October 2016). "Le frère de Flavie Flament remet en cause certaines révélations de son livre".
  27. Samuel, Henry (30 November 2016). "British photographer David Hamilton found dead in Paris, as his alleged rape victims say he has escaped justice". The Telegraph.
  28. "Alleged rape victim 'horrified' after death of photographer David Hamilton". Sky News. 26 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  29. "Accusé de viol, David Hamilton veut porter plainte contre Flavie Flament". lindependant.fr.
  30. "David Hamilton, le chasseur de jeunes filles". L'Obs (in French). Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  31. Louis, Paul (17 November 2016). "Après Flavie Flament, trois nouvelles accusations de viol contre le photographe David Hamilton". Le Figaro (in French). ISSN 0182-5852. Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  32. "Affaire Flavie Flament : d'autres femmes accusent David Hamilton de viol". L'Obs (in French). Retrieved 27 November 2016.
  33. "Google Maps".
  34. David Hamilton, photographer celebrated as artist and condemned as pornographer, dies at 83, The Washington Post, 30 November 2016
  35. Samuel, Henry (30 November 2016). "British photographer David Hamilton found dead in Paris". The Telegraph.
  36. "David Hamilton, mort d'un photographe controversé | PM". PM (in French). 26 November 2016. Archived from the original on 27 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
  37. Controversial photographer Hamilton committed suicide in Paris, police say, France 24, 26 November 2016
  38. Bar, Roni (6 December 2016). "The Can of Worms Opened After Iconic Photographer Accused of Rape Commits Suicide". Haaretz.
  39. "Watch Tendres Cousines Online | Watch Full HD Tendres Cousines (1980) Online For Free PutLockers". putlockers.fm.

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