Jill Kennington (born 2 January 1943) is a British fashion model and photographer. She is best known to the wider public for her appearance in Michelangelo Antonioni's 1966 film '' Blow-Up''.

Early life

Jill Kennington was born in the village of Riby, Lincolnshire on 2 January 1943.Jill Kennington.
''Marshwood Vale Magazine'', 1 October 2012. Retrieved 28 August 2014. She grew up on a farm there, with two sisters and a brother. She was educated at a boarding school in the Lake District, and a

finishing school A finishing school focuses on teaching young women social graces and upper-class cultural rites as a preparation for entry into society. The name reflects the fact that it follows ordinary school and is intended to complete a young woman's ...

in Sussex.

Career

At the age of 18, Kennington started at Michael Whittaker's small "school" for aspiring models and after only two days, met

Norman Hartnell Sir Norman Bishop Hartnell (12 June 1901 – 8 June 1979) was a leading British fashion designer, best known for his work for the ladies of the British royal family, royal family. Hartnell gained the Royal Warrant of Appointment (United Kingdom ...

who was about to do a major UK tour; he declared, "Darling, you are going to be my mascot".Photos: Models, Photographers, and Swinging-60s London: How Blow Up Was Made
''Vanity Fair'', accessdate: 4 September 2014 She toured as one of Hartnell's models for about a month's time. Kennington met photographer John Cowan in February 1962 and it was through her work with Cowan that she made her name as a model in the 1960s.oxforddnb.com
Oxford DNB article: Cowan, John Anthony
accessdate: 28/08/2014 Cowan injected action and dynamism into his shoots that had previously been lacking in fashion photography. Work from that period is in the collection of the

Victoria and Albert Museum The Victoria and Albert Museum (abbreviated V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of applied arts, decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 2.8 million objects. It was founded in 1852 and named after Queen ...

, while work with other photographers, including Norman Parkinson and Lord Lichfield is in the collection of the

National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to: * National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra * National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred *National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C. *National Portrait Gallery, London ...

. She was twice on the front cover of '' Vogue''. Kennington has also worked with the photographers David Bailey, Terence Donovan, Brian Duffy,

Helmut Newton Helmut Newton (né Neustädter; 31 October 192023 January 2004) was a German-Australian photographer. The ''The New York Times, New York Times'' described him as a "prolific, widely imitated fashion photographer whose provocative, erotically ch ...

, Jeanloup Sieff,

Richard Avedon Richard Avedon (May 15, 1923 – October 1, 2004) was an American fashion and portrait photographer. He worked for ''Harper's Bazaar'', '' Vogue'' and '' Elle'' specializing in capturing movement in still pictures of fashion, theater and ...

, William Klein, and Bob Richardson.About
, Jill Kennington. Retrieved 28 August 2014. Kennington discussed her transition from model to photographer in an interview with '' Vogue'' in 2013. She continues to work as a model and is represented by TESS Management. In January 2009 she appeared in the third episode of the

BBC Four BBC Four is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002

series ''Style on Trial'' and the final episode.

Personal life

She is the daughter of John Kennington, who died in February 1968.''Grimsby Evening Telegraph'' Tuesday 27 February 1968, page 16 She married film director Roy Rossotti in January 1967. Kennington's second husband is Richard Courtauld, with whom she has two children.

References

External links

*
Jill Kennington by Traeger: Vogue UK, August 1965.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kennington, Jill English female models 1943 births Living people Photographers from Lincolnshire People from West Lindsey District Models from Lincolnshire