Ingrid Bergman, Stromboli, Italy 1949

Gordon Parks captured this image of Ingrid Bergman in Stromboli, Italy. Parks, a Black American photographer, documented Bergman during a tumultuous period in her life. She was facing immense public scrutiny for her affair with Italian director Roberto Rossellini, which challenged the conventional expectations placed on women, particularly those in the public eye. Here, Bergman is caught in a moment of thoughtful repose, set against the backdrop of local Italian women and children. The composition creates a stark contrast between Bergman's individual experience as a celebrated, yet scandalized, figure and the communal life of the local women. Parks, who often focused on themes of social justice and identity, seems to capture a sense of isolation and introspection in Bergman's expression. Parks once said, "I saw that the camera could be a weapon against poverty, against racism, against all sorts of social wrongs." In this photograph, we are invited to consider the complex interplay of fame, gender, and cultural context, and to reflect on the personal cost of societal judgment.