12 Hands of Miles Davis and His Trumpet, New York, July 1 1986

'Consistent, controlled, and confident -- not scattered or tentative -- Irving Penn's contact sheets show not just that he is meticulous and thorough, but, more significantly, that he has a clear understanding of what he wants to achieve long before he picks up the camera. Yet, while he is more cerebral than intuitive, more thoughtful than spontaneous, Penn, as is evidenced in all his work, has a profound respect for the people and things in front of his camera. As Miles Davis fingers the notes of an imaginary riff, Irving Penn seeks and finds his own harmony, seamlessly blending the musician's individuality into his own elegant and lucid vision.' Sarah Greenough (Irving Penn New and Unseen Process, Pace/MacGill Gallery, 1999, p. 10)