The overall impression is of a majestic harpie. Another memorable icon is of the poet Edith Sitwell. Black and white is generally better suited to the stark geometry of Horst's compositions - colour dilutes the impact. Here, though, the colour underpins the design. Dressed in a red jacket and turban with nails varnished to match, Sitwell stands behind a lectern against a white backdrop.
Nothing distracts one's eye from the unusual pose.
Her arms are spread possessively across the pages of an open book, as though staking her claim as the high priestess of literature. With her profile lit from behind to emphasise her aquiline features, she becomes the lectern's eagle. These shots are effective because Horst paired down the props to essentials. There is no clutter. A few early forays into soft lighting and atmospheric shadows emphasise how radical this simplicity must have seemed.