Child of Florence, 1948

On assignment for Vogue following the war, Penn took residence just outside of Florence, in the hills behind the Piazzale Michelangelo. His attention was soon caught by the innocent face of a young Italian child living in a house nearby. Elisabetta Cristiana Giuffrida-Ruggeri was five at the time she became Penn's sitter. 'I remember going into the garden with Penn and picking a tiny bouquet of flowers and then sitting in a chair in the living room, whilst he spoke to me and took many photos. He had a way of making me feel at ease.'

This print is one of four prints made in 1948 by Penn as gifts for the family; one is in private hands and the other two are missing. This lot is accompanied by seven contact sheets from the sitting (with credit and date stamps) and a hand-written letter from Penn to Nerina, the sitter's mother.