Diane Arbus

Who Is Diane Arbus? Age, Biography, and Wiki

Diane Arbus was born on March 14, 1923, in New York City. She was an influential American photographer known for her black-and-white portraits that captured the unconventional aspects of society. Arbus’s work often focused on marginalized individuals, exposing the deeper narratives behind the faces of her subjects. Her unique perspective continues to inspire and challenge conventional representations in photography. Tragically, she passed away on July 26, 1971, but her legacy endures through her powerful imagery and the continued relevance of her artistic vision.

Given her birthdate, as of 2025, Diane Arbus would be 102 years old.

Occupation	Photographers
Date of Birth	March 14, 1923
Age	48 Years
Birth Place	New York City, NY, U.S.
Horoscope	Pisces
Country	U.S
Date of death	26 July, 1971
Died Place	New York City, NY, U.S.

Popularity

Height, Weight & Measurements

Diane Arbus stood at approximately 5 feet 3 inches (160 cm) tall and weighed around 110 pounds (50 kg). Her petite stature contrasted with her bold photographic style. While specific measurements are less documented, Arbus was known for her distinctive fashion sense, often donning simple, practical attire that allowed her to blend in with her unique subjects.

* Michael Kimmelman wrote in 2005, "If the proper word isn't spirituality then it's grace. Arbus touches her favorite subjects with grace. It's in the spread-arm pose of the sword swallower, in the tattooed human pincushion, like St. Sebastian, and in the virginal waitress at the nudist camp, with her apron and order pad and her nicked shin.

And it's famously in the naked couple in the woods, like Adam and Eve after the Fall."

Family, Dating & Relationship Status

Diane Arbus was married to Allan Arbus, a noted actor and photographer, in 1941. The couple had two daughters together: Doon and Amy. Throughout her life, Diane’s relationships and family life were integral to her understanding of human complexity, which often translated into her artwork. While she was primarily associated with her marriage and family, there’s limited public information on other romantic relationships.

Because of her family's wealth, Arbus was insulated from the effects of the Great Depression while growing up in the 1930s. Her father became a painter after retiring from Russeks. Her younger sister became a sculptor and designer, and her older brother, the poet Howard Nemerov, taught English at Washington University in St.

Louis and was appointed United States Poet Laureate. Howard's son is the Americanist art historian Alexander Nemerov.

Net Worth and Salary

At the time of her passing, Diane Arbus’s net worth was not widely recorded due to the era in which she worked. However, her posthumous fame has skyrocketed, and her photographs are now some of the most coveted in the art world. As a result, her artworks are auctioned for millions, contributing to a considerable increase in her net worth over the years. By 2025, it's estimated that her estate is valued in the millions, thanks to the ongoing appreciation of her photography and collection.

Career, Business and Investments

Diane Arbus’s career took off in the 1960s when her unique approach to photography gained recognition. Her work has been featured in various exhibitions, including significant retrospectives in prestigious institutions like the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Arbus is considered a pioneer in using photography for social commentary, and her style has influenced countless photographers.

Posthumously, her photographs have continued to capture the attention of collectors and institutions, solidifying her role as a significant figure in the history of photography. Today, her estate manages her works and continues to engage in collaborations and exhibitions worldwide.

She studied briefly with Alexey Brodovich in 1954. However, it was her studies with Lisette Model, which began in 1956, that encouraged Arbus to focus exclusively on her own work. That year Arbus quit the commercial photography business and began numbering her negatives.

(Her last known negative was labeled #7459.) Based on Model's advice, Arbus spent time with an empty camera so she could practice observation. Arbus also credits Model with making it clear to her that "the more specific you are, the more general it'll be."

Social Network

While Diane Arbus herself did not engage with social networks—given she lived before the digital age—her legacy has inspired a plethora of social media platforms dedicated to photography lovers and enthusiasts. Photo-sharing sites and social media platforms often feature her works, discussions, and tributes, allowing new generations to appreciate her contributions. Contemporary artists and photographers frequently reference her in their work, amplifying her presence in online art communities.

Around 1962, Arbus switched from a 35 mm Nikon camera which produced the grainy rectangular images characteristic of her post-studio work to a twin-lens reflex Rolleiflex camera which produced more detailed square images. She explained this transition saying "In the beginning of photographing I used to make very grainy things.

I'd be fascinated by what the grain did because it would make a kind of tapestry of all these little dots ... But when I'd been working for a while with all these dots, I suddenly wanted terribly to get through there. I wanted to see the real differences between things ...

I began to get terribly hyped on clarity." In 1964, Arbus began using a 2-1/4 Mamiyaflex camera with flash in addition to the Rolleiflex.

Education

Diane Arbus studied at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, where she developed her interest in artistic expression. Later, she attended the Art Students League of New York. Her education provided a strong foundation for her future career as a photographer, influencing her perspective on art and society.

---

Diane Arbus (March 14, 1923 – July 26, 1971 ) was an American photographer. She photographed a wide range of subjects including strippers, carnival performers, nudists, people with dwarfism, children, mothers, couples, elderly people, and middle-class families.

She photographed her subjects in familiar settings: their homes, on the street, in the workplace, in the park. "She is noted for expanding notions of acceptable subject matter and violates canons of the appropriate distance between photographer and subject.

By befriending, not objectifying her subjects, she was able to capture in her work a rare psychological intensity." In his 2003 New York Times Magazine article, "Arbus Reconsidered", Arthur Lubow states, "She was fascinated by people who were visibly creating their own identities—cross-dressers, nudists, sideshow performers, tattooed men, the nou

veaux riches, the movie-star fans—and by those who were trapped in a uniform that no longer provided any security or comfort." Michael Kimmelman writes in his review of the exhibition Diane Arbus Revelations, that her work "transformed the art of photography (Arbus is everywhere, for better and worse, in the work of artists today who make photogr

aphs)".

Arbus's imagery helped to normalize marginalized groups and highlight the importance of proper representation of all people.