Lee Miller: an exhibition dedicated to the American photographer at the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris

Following the biopic skillfully brought to life by Kate Winslet, it's time for an exhibition! In 2026, the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris will host a major retrospective dedicated to the legendary American photographer and reporter Lee Miller (1907-1977). The exhibition, which was first showcased this fall at Tate Britain in London, will be on display in Paris from April 10 to August 2, 2026.

This is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich artistic career of this artist, a true muse of surrealism, but also in the incredible life of this woman. Born on April 23, 1907, in New York State in the United States, Lee Miller beganposing for several leading fashion photographers forVogue magazine in 1927, including Edward Steichen and George Hoyningen-Huene. Lee Miller finally moved to France two years later. There she met Man Ray, becoming his muse, mistress, and assistant. In France, Lee Miller also met Paul Éluard, Pablo Picasso, and Jean Cocteau. 

Her career as a photographer, which until then had been limited to fashion shots, portraits, and landscapes, took a turn in the 1940s. While working in London for British Vogue, Lee Miller was accredited by the US Army and, in the summer of 1944, became a war correspondent for the US Army. Lee Miller then showed the horror of the concentration camps.

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This retrospective dedicated to Lee Miller aims to highlight the diversity of her work and her life in perpetual motion, from New York to Paris, via Cairo and London, not to mention her many travels throughout Europe, North Africa, and the United States.

To achieve this, the exhibition will showcase around 250 vintage and contemporary prints, some famous, others previously unseen, along with extensive documentation. It’s worth noting that the last retrospective in Paris dedicated to the American photographer took place back in 2008. At that time, the event was widely praised by visitors at the Jeu de Paume. Now, 18 years later, the Musée d'art Moderne de Paris aims to offer a fresh perspective on the rich and diverse body of work by Lee Miller. Mark your calendar: the exhibition runs from April 10 to August 2, 2026.