A Seductive Portrait by William Read Woodfield

Original Type I Oversized Gelatin Silver Photograph — Hugh Hefner / Playboy Collection

Few photographs capture the intoxicating glamour of Jayne Mansfield (1933–1967) as powerfully as this extraordinary 1956 portrait by William Read Woodfield (1923–2001). Reclining among tall grasses beneath the California sun, Mansfield appears completely absorbed in the moment—eyes closed, lips parted, playfully holding a blade of grass to her mouth.

The result is an image that feels remarkably spontaneous and intimate. There is none of the carefully controlled formality of a Hollywood studio portrait. Instead, Woodfield brings the viewer extraordinarily close, filling the composition with Mansfield's face, luminous platinum curls, hand, and the wild vegetation surrounding her.

The photograph is also visually daring. Dominating the foreground is a large circular woven object whose concentric rings create an almost hypnotic pattern, contrasting dramatically with Mansfield's soft features and the chaotic lines of the surrounding grass. Woodfield transforms what might have been a simple glamour photograph into a sophisticated study of texture, light, geometry, beauty, and sensuality.

Created during Woodfield's celebrated 1956 outdoor photo session with Mansfield, the image belongs to the body of work associated with her appearance in the February 1957 issue of Playboy. At this moment Mansfield was rapidly becoming one of America's most recognizable stars. Alongside Marilyn Monroe, she helped define the image of the 1950s Hollywood blonde bombshell; her extraordinary beauty, confidence, and exuberant personality established her as an enduring glamour icon in her own right.

An Original Type I Photograph with Exceptional Provenance

This is not a later reproduction. It is an original Type I gelatin silver photograph, printed in the period of the original 1956 photographic session. The verso retains the photographer's black ink credit stamp: “PHOTOGRAPH BY / WILLIAM READ WOODFIELD” as well as a period handwritten identification, “Jayne Mansfield.”

Of particular importance is its provenance: Property from the Hugh Hefner / Playboy Archives. This direct association with the historic Playboy collection gives the photograph significance beyond its striking visual qualities, connecting the physical print to the publishing history and popular culture of the period.

For collectors, the combination is exceptional: Jayne Mansfield at the height of her beauty and fame; William Read Woodfield behind the camera; an original period Type I print; oversized format; photographer's stamp; and Hugh Hefner / Playboy provenance.

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