Sophia Loren’s 70-year reign as an international icon is captured in a new Taschen book featuring rare photographs by her longtime collaborator Alfred Eisenstaedt.
The collection, titled Sophia by Eisenstaedt, hit shelves on January 17, 2026, and pairs the screen legend’s most intimate moments with the photographer she once called her “shadow.”
At a Glance
- A 224-page Taschen volume releases never-before-seen Eisenstaedt frames of Loren from 1955-1969.
- Loren, 91, recalls “love at first sight” when meeting Eisenstaedt, who died in 1995 at 96.
- Images span Tuscan beaches, Roman villas, and Manhattan dinners with Clark Gable and Kirk Douglas.
- Why it matters: Fans see Hollywood’s golden age through the lens that helped craft Loren’s global mystique.
From Naples to the World
Born in Rome and raised in Pozzuoli, Loren first landed on the cover of Life on February 7, 1955, under the banner “Europe’s No. 1 Cover Girl.”
She went on to appear in nearly 100 films, winning the 1961 best-actress Oscar for Two Women and acting opposite Marlon Brando, Cary Grant, and Clark Gable.
Eisenstaedt, a German-Jewish émigré and one of Life‘s founding photographers, met Loren at Cinecittà Studios. Over the next 14 years he documented her career, travels, and private life, amassing more than 5,000 frames.
“It was really a love at first sight,” Loren told Life in a 2014 retrospective. “He never tried to interfere in my life. No, he just kept on shooting and smiling and was happy just to be with me like I was to be with him! I miss him.”
Inside the Book
Taschen’s 224-page monograph reproits 150 photographs, half unpublished. The sequence follows Loren from rising starlet to global superstar and young mother.
Key spreads include:
- Tuscany, 1961: Loren on a Vespa, hair whipping in the wind, traffic halted by admirers.
- Romeo Salta restaurant, 1958: A candlelit table shared with producer-husband Carlo Ponti, Kirk Douglas, and Anne Douglas.
- Bay of Naples, 1961: The couple splashed by waves as Loren laughs, “I love boats – they’re so restful.”
- Villa Sara, 1964: Loren in her favorite room, a wood-paneled study, beside longtime secretary Ines Bruscia.
- Marino, 1969: Loren cradling toddler Carlo Jr., nicknamed “Cipi,” beneath Renaissance arches.
Eisenstaedt’s handwritten captions accompany several prints. Of Loren in a black swimsuit on a pier he scrawled: “Very relaxed and natural.”
Fashion as Narrative
Costume changes chart Loren’s evolution from pin-up to sophisticate. Early frames show cinched-waist sundresses; later sequences favor tailored Valentino and Emilio Schuberth gowns.
Accessories repeat as motifs: oversized sunglasses, silk headscarves, and Ponti’s ever-present camera. The book’s designers left contact-sheet sprocket holes visible, underscoring the candid feel.
Behind the Camaraderie
Eisenstaedt’s access hinged on trust. He traveled without an entourage, sometimes developing film in hotel sinks. Loren reciprocated, once delaying a press junket so the photographer could capture sunset over the Amalfi cliffs.
Their rapport contrasted with Hollywood norms. On a rainy London shoot, Cary Grant refused an autograph seeker; Loren chastised him, then posed with the fan-while Eisenstaedt clicked away. The resulting frame opens chapter three.
Legacy in Print
Taschen released Sophia by Eisenstaedt in two editions:
| Edition | Pages | Trim Size | Price | Run Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | 224 | 9.4 × 13 in | $60 | 10,000 |
| Art | 224 + 4 prints | 11 × 15 in | $150 | 1,500 |
Both include essays by film historian Jeanine Basinger and a joint interview conducted by Marcus L. Bennett for News Of Los Angeles in 2024. Loren signed bookplates for the first 2,000 copies.
Modern Resonance
At 91, Loren remains active. She appeared in Netflix’s The Life Ahead (2020) and is developing a television adaptation of her memoir Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow. The book arrives as fashion revisits 1960s silhouettes: cat-eye sunglasses, high-waist trousers, and head scarves.
Retailers report strong pre-orders. Taschen’s U.S. president Marlene Taschen says initial sales rival the publisher’s 2025 bestseller The NASA Archives. Independent bookstores have scheduled more than 50 launch events, including a panel at New York’s Film Forum on January 30, 2026.
Key Takeaways
- Rare Eisenstaedt photographs chronicle Sophia Loren’s rise from Italian newcomer to Oscar-winning superstar.
- The new Taschen release pairs 150 images with personal recollections, offering an unfiltered look at 1950s-60s celebrity culture.
- Loren’s working friendship with Eisenstaedt produced frames that defined Life magazine’s golden age-and now anchor a coffee-table volume poised to become a collector’s item.
