A Landmark Exhibition Showcasing Over 70 Years of Portraiture
The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens will present “Don Bachardy: A Life in Portraits,” a landmark exhibition showcasing the artist’s distinctive work. The exhibition, set to open in April 2025, will feature over 100 graphite and acrylic portraits, along with letters, photographs, and archival materials from Bachardy’s extensive archive.
Honoring a Legacy in Portraiture
Curated by Dennis Carr, Virginia Steele Scott Chief Curator of American Art, and Karla Nielsen, senior curator of literary collections, with guest curator Gregory Evans, the exhibition will highlight Bachardy’s evolution as a portraitist. Spanning seven decades, his work captures notable figures from the artistic, literary, and film communities, including Truman Capote, Bette Davis, and David Hockney.
The Artist’s Vision and Influence
“We are thrilled to celebrate Don Bachardy’s lifelong dedication to portraiture,” said Karla Nielsen. “His work offers a unique perspective on Los Angeles’ cultural and creative scene.” Known for his spontaneous, single-session portraits, Bachardy’s signature style captures the essence of his sitters with striking immediacy.
A Glimpse Into Bachardy’s Personal and Artistic Life
Bachardy’s home with longtime partner and acclaimed writer Christopher Isherwood was a hub for creative minds. A dedicated section of the exhibition will explore their relationship, documented in letters and collaborative works like October.
The exhibition will also include early snapshots of Hollywood legends such as Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, and Marilyn Monroe, taken by Bachardy and his brother at film premieres during their youth.
The Huntington’s Isherwood-Bachardy lecture series, launched in 2016, has featured guest speakers Robert Chattel, Alvin-Christian Nuval, and Nels Youngborg (“Object of My Nostalgia: Designating the Isherwood-Bachardy Residence and Studio in Los Angeles”); Tom Ford (“Filming Christopher Isherwood: A Single Man from the Page to the Screen”); Pico Iyer (“In Isherwood’s Footsteps: Seeing the World in the Round”); Robert Flynn Johnson (“Skill, Speed, and Diplomacy: The Artistic Achievement of Don Bachardy”); Matthew Spender (“Isherwood, Auden, and Spender: Before the Second World War”); and Edmund White (“Becoming Gay in the 1960s: Reading A Single Man”).
Exhibition Highlights and Related Programs
Visitors can expect a chronological and thematic arrangement of Bachardy’s works, tracing his transition from monochromatic sketches to bold, vibrant compositions. In addition to the exhibition, The Huntington will host a series of related events:
- Auden and Isherwood: Religion versus Friendship (May 1, 2025) – A lecture by Edward Mendelson exploring the friendship of W. H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood.
- Evening Among the Roses (June 13, 2025) – The 11th annual LGBTQ+ celebration at The Huntington.
- Culture Writing Workshop: Don Bachardy (July 23, 2025) – A hands-on workshop exploring culture writing inspired by Bachardy’s work.
- Member’s Documentary Preview (July 24, 2025) – An exclusive screening of a new documentary about Bachardy.
- Bette Davis Film Screening (July 29, 2025) – A special screening honoring one of Bachardy’s most famous subjects.
Exhibition Catalog and Artist Recognition
To complement the exhibition, The Huntington will release an illustrated catalog, Don Bachardy: A Life in Portraits. Featuring essays by Katherine Bucknell, James Cahill, Simon Callow, and Mary Agnes Donoghue, the book will be available for purchase online and in-store starting April 12, 2025.
Bachardy’s portraits are part of prestigious collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, and The Huntington. Over his career, he has published multiple books, with his works celebrated in solo exhibitions worldwide.
A Lasting Contribution to The Huntington
Since 1999, The Huntington has been a steward of the Isherwood-Bachardy archive, fostering scholarship and artistic engagement through lectures and exhibitions. This retrospective reaffirms The Huntington’s dedication to preserving and showcasing Bachardy’s extraordinary contributions to American portraiture.
