Scalp

Photography was but one of the playboy-polymath Carlo Mollino’s many passions: he flew stunt planes, raced cars, and wrote widely on subjects from Surrealism to downhill skiing. But alongside his photographic practice, he is best known as an architect. These defining interests intersect in the series of portraits he made in a small apartment in Turin, furnished specifically for photographing. Its dramatic fixtures and bespoke props set the scene for Mollino’s Ritratti ambienti, or environmental portraits. Inviting over glamorous clients and friends, he drew the plush curtains and orchestrated fantastic scenes. This twist on a mainstream glamour shot finds him moonlighting in yet another role—Hollywood tycoon. But, zagging against type, Mollino swaps a megawatt smile for a slyer study in texture and shade.