Priscilla Rattazzi
Encyclopedia
Priscilla Rattazzi is an Italian
-born photographer based in New York City
who has worked primarily as a magazine photographer and has authored several photography books.
in 1956, the youngest child of Susanna Agnelli
and Urbano dei conti Rattazzi. She is the niece of Gianni Agnelli
, who was chairman of Fiat
. At the age of 16, she went to Wales
as a student at Atlantic College
, and subsequently went to the United States
, where she studied photography at Sarah Lawrence College
, graduating in 1977. She has remained in New York City since her student days.
As a model
she was featured in Richard Avedon
’s “Avedon: Photographs 1947-1977” along with models Dovima
, Dorian Leigh
, and Suzy Parker
.
She was an apprentice to Japanese fashion photographer Hiro
. Her work has been featured in magazines including Good Housekeeping
, Redbook
, Seventeen
, New York Magazine, Self
, and Italian Vogue.
Rattazzi has been married three times, first to Alex Ponti (son of Carlo Ponti
), later to German investment banker Claus Moehlmann, and currently to Chris Whittle
, an entrepreneur who is the founder and CEO of Edison Schools
. She is the mother of three children. She is the president of the US Foundation for Atlantic College.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
-born photographer based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
who has worked primarily as a magazine photographer and has authored several photography books.
Life and career
Priscilla Rattazzi was born in RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
in 1956, the youngest child of Susanna Agnelli
Susanna Agnelli
Susanna Agnelli, Contessa Rattazzi, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI was an Italian politician, businesswoman and writer...
and Urbano dei conti Rattazzi. She is the niece of Gianni Agnelli
Gianni Agnelli
Giovanni Agnelli , better known as Gianni Agnelli , was an Italian industrialist and principal shareholder of Fiat. As the head of Fiat, he controlled 4.4% of Italy's GDP, 3.1% of its industrial workforce, and 16.5% of its industrial investment in research...
, who was chairman of Fiat
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
. At the age of 16, she went to Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
as a student at Atlantic College
Atlantic College
The United World College of the Atlantic, also known as Atlantic College, is an international IB Diploma Programme boarding school in the United Kingdom. Founded in 1962, the school was the first of the United World Colleges and was among the first schools in the world to follow an international...
, and subsequently went to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where she studied photography at Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College is a private liberal arts college in the United States, and a leader in progressive education since its founding in 1926. Located just 30 minutes north of Midtown Manhattan in southern Westchester County, New York, in the city of Yonkers, this coeducational college offers...
, graduating in 1977. She has remained in New York City since her student days.
As a model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
she was featured in Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon
Richard Avedon was an American photographer. An obituary published in The New York Times said that "his fashion and portrait photographs helped define America's image of style, beauty and culture for the last half-century."-Photography career:Avedon was born in New York City to a Jewish Russian...
’s “Avedon: Photographs 1947-1977” along with models Dovima
Dovima
Dorothy Virginia Margaret Juba , later known as Dorothy Horan, and best known as Dovima, was a model during the 1950s....
, Dorian Leigh
Dorian Leigh
Dorian Leigh was an American model and one of the earliest modelling icons of the fashion industry. She is considered one of the first supermodels and was well known in the United States and Europe.-Biography:Dorian Leigh Parker was born in San Antonio, Texas, to George and Elizabeth Parker...
, and Suzy Parker
Suzy Parker
Suzy Parker was an American model and actress active from 1947 into the early 1960s. Her modeling career reached its zenith during the 1950s when she appeared on the cover of dozens of magazines, advertisements, and in movie and television roles.She appeared in several Revlon advertisements, but...
.
She was an apprentice to Japanese fashion photographer Hiro
Hiro (photographer)
Yasuhiro Wakabayashi, professionally known as Hiro, is an American commercial photographer. He was born in Shanghai in 1930 to Japanese parents...
. Her work has been featured in magazines including Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping
Good Housekeeping is a women's magazine owned by the Hearst Corporation, featuring articles about women's interests, product testing by The Good Housekeeping Institute, recipes, diet, health as well as literary articles. It is well known for the "Good Housekeeping Seal," popularly known as the...
, Redbook
Redbook
Redbook is an American women's magazine published by the Hearst Corporation. It is one of the "Seven Sisters", a group of women's service magazines.-History:...
, Seventeen
Seventeen (magazine)
Seventeen is an American magazine for teenagers. It was first published in September 1944 by Walter Annenberg's Triangle Publications. News Corporation bought Triangle in 1988, and sold Seventeen to K-III Communications in 1991. Primedia sold the magazine to Hearst in 2003. It is still in the...
, New York Magazine, Self
Self (magazine)
Self magazine is an American magazine for women that specializes in health, fitness, nutrition, beauty and happiness. Published by Condé Nast Publications 12 times a year, it has a circulation of 1,486,992 and a total audience of 5,541,000 readers, according to its corporate media kit. The...
, and Italian Vogue.
Rattazzi has been married three times, first to Alex Ponti (son of Carlo Ponti
Carlo Ponti
Carlo Ponti was an Italian film producer with over 140 production credits, and the husband of Italian movie star Sophia Loren.-Career:...
), later to German investment banker Claus Moehlmann, and currently to Chris Whittle
Chris Whittle
H. Christopher "Chris" Whittle is an American media and education entrepreneur. He is the chief executive officer of Avenues: The World School, a planned international system of independent pre-K-12 schools. Avenues will open its first campus in New York City in fall 2012. Whittle founded Edison...
, an entrepreneur who is the founder and CEO of Edison Schools
Edison Schools
EdisonLearning Inc., formerly known as Edison Schools Inc., is a for-profit education management organization for public schools in the United States and the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1992 as The Edison Project, largely the brainchild of Chris Whittle...
. She is the mother of three children. She is the president of the US Foundation for Atlantic College.
Books
- Priscilla’s first book was printed privately in 1982. Entitled Una Famiglia, it consists of old family portraits and pictures of various relatives.
- Best Friends was Priscilla’s second book. It featured an introduction by Gianni Agnelli. The book is composed of portraits of dogs and their owners including Glenn CloseGlenn CloseGlenn Close is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and singer of theatre and film, known for her roles as a femme fatale Glenn Close (born March 19, 1947) is an American actress and...
, Mary WellsMary WellsMary Esther Wells was an American singer who helped to define the emerging sound of Motown in the early 1960s...
, and Diane Von FurstenbergDiane von FürstenbergDiane von Fürstenberg, formerly Princess Diane of Fürstenberg , is a Belgian-American fashion designer best known for her iconic wrap dress. She initially rose to prominence when she married into the German princely House of Fürstenberg, as the wife of Prince Egon of Fürstenberg...
. As a result of the book's success Priscilla was featured in TimeTime (magazine)Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
’s People section.
- Children features over 100 photographs of childhood and was published by Rizzoli in 1992. Many of the photographs include images of her eldest son, Maxi. The text was written by her sister, who is a child therapist.
- Georgica Pond was published by Callaway Editions in September 2000. It focused on the area in East Hampton, New YorkEast Hampton (town), New YorkThe Town of East Hampton is located in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, at the eastern end of the South Shore of Long Island. It is the easternmost town in the state of New York...
, where she and her husband Chris Whittle own an estate called Briar Patch. A portion of the proceeds from sales of Georgica Pond were donated to the South Fork-Shelter Island chapter of the Nature ConservancyThe Nature ConservancyThe Nature Conservancy is a US charitable environmental organization that works to preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive....
.