Forty portraits were made in forty years by the Brown sisters. Photographer Nicholas Nixon has photographed women every year since 1975, and the latest photograph in the series has just been published. This, at first simple, project became from year to year special, because rarely extends a photo series over such a long period of time.
Nicholas Nixon visited his wife’s family, which can also be seen in the photos. He asked her and her three sisters, on a whim, if he could photograph them. That was in the summer of 1975, when the first black-and-white photo of the four young women was taken. With casual posture and summer clothes, he photographed the women against a background of trees and lawns.
1. 1975
Four siblings, 40 years and a mission. To take a photo every year to witness the change of four decades. After all, a photo says more than a thousand words. Not for nothing did the family hire a professional photographer. It is a beautiful story of how he was able to put himself deep into the family during the 40 years and was able to get to know them in a special way.
With the first picture from 1975 they started the project. At that time it was not clear how huge it would be and what makes it so special to publish it. You won’t have any idea how much the development of the women is progressing. Surely most people do not estimate enough what can be achieved in 40 years.
2. 1976
A year later, at the graduation ceremony of one of the sisters in Hartfort, Connecticut, he suggested that they line up in the same order as he prepared a photo of them. After seeing the picture, he asked them if they could do it every year. They laughed about it and made fun of it, but somehow a suitable time was always found in the period of 40 years.
They agreed and so began a project that covered almost his entire career. The series, which has been shown worldwide over the last four decades, will be on view at the Museum of Modern Art, coinciding with the publication of the book “The Brown Sisters”.
3. 1977
In 1977, the photo was taken in Cambridge, Massachusetts. But who are these sisters anyway? There is hardly any information about the pictures apart from the place where they were taken and the names of the sisters. To the left is Heather, then Mimi, Bebe and Laurie. Bebe, with a penetrating look, is Nixon’s wife.
They all had a very specific expression on their faces. The talent lies in the genes of the sisters. But there must be more behind the story of 40 years than just pictures of siblings. Read on with us and discover the unique story behind this event.
4. 1978
In 1978, the sister met in Harwich Port, Massachusetts for the annual photo. We are, in fact, curious about the sisters’ background. Are you Irish? Probably they are Yankees, with their decidedly glamour-neutral attitude. Our curiosity is also aroused by her intrepid gaze. All four sisters almost always look directly into the camera as if they wanted to make contact, even if their eyes are tied up.
They spoke their own language in the expression of their faces, as if they wanted to say something, directly through their eyes. The photographer noticed that and that drives him to take another picture every year.
5. 1979
In Marblehead, Massachusetts, the 1979 portrait was taken. Since the first picture the sisters have changed a bit. Women’s fashion also shows that some time has passed.
At that time the trend was up and down, a lot changed. There was no question that young women were also changing. The Wild Seventies were just experiencing their high point and the siblings were right in the middle of it.
Bebe looked pretty serious in the picture, I wonder if this hadn’t been her year? But the facial expressions of the four were very similar, in every picture. Heather seems to have changed a little bit, too, and she radiates this clearly.
6. 1980
In East Greenwich, Rhode Island, the portrait was painted in 1980 in an altered pose.
The special thing about the four sisters was their deep connection to each other, when they saw each other there was a celebration, because since 1979 they unfortunately did not all live under one roof. Each woman now went her own way and grew into an independent lady.
One of the greatest things they had in common was their vocation. They all trained as nurses in their hometown, which is extremely rare for four siblings. The nurses seem intimate, as if they had not seen each other for a long time.
7. 1981
Whenever a woman is photographed, the problem of her vanity is inevitably addressed, but Nixon has ended this with his choice of natural light, casual poses, and simple preparation. The sisters never talk about what they’re going to wear. Bebe Nixon simply says, “We only wear what we want to wear that day.”
And it is precisely this attitude that has created such a trend, which continues to this day. The fashion, photo and makeup industry still uses it today to market their labels and products with great success.
In 1981 the portrait was taken for the first time while sitting. The sisters wear shorts and it must have been a very warm summer day in Cincinatti.
8. 1982
In 1982 in Ipswich, Massachusetts, the sisters had to wrap themselves up warmly and look very happy and satisfied.
During this series we observe how these women age and experience with them the most humiliating experience of life. While many of us, when asked, can name things for which we are grateful to the time for giving them, the wrinkles around the mouth and the sagging of the skin are not.
The ages between the women are not far apart, but it is certainly possible to tell who is the oldest sister, at least since this picture. Good guess, it’s Bebe.
9. 1983
In 1983 the sisters met in Allston, Massachusetts to take the annual photo. The more we study the pictures, the more we see that aging does not define these women.
There is so much more behind a picture that is taken every year. The four of them are absolutely fashion conscious, and they love to show that. Together with their naturalness and authenticity, they radiate a tremendous power!
Actually, you don’t have to say much about each of the pictures, it is enough to look into their eyes, and they tell their very personal story. I wonder what has been going on in the lives of women in that time?
10. 1984
Even though the images tell us unmistakably that it looks the same when you get older, this is the irrefutable truth that we also learn over time. In the case of the sisters, none of the four must be ashamed of it, because beauty is not a question of age here.
The 1984 photo was taken in Truro, Massachusetts. Just like before, Nixon the photographer has picked a great day. He uses the perfect light to get the best out of his pictures.
This picture shows a clear shadow on the bodies of the women, here Nixon probably wanted to finally make himself recognizable in a picture.
11. 1985
1985 already 10 years have passed since the first picture. This year, the sisters will again be photographed under a tree in Allston, Massachusetts. The women all wear a similar hair length and look very relaxed like after a nice summer day together.
That’s what endurance looks like. It is the endurance of the sisterhood in particular. Deep inside every woman who has a sister is the desire, if this does not happen, to have such a strong one to his siblings, like Heather, Mimi, Bebe and Laurie.
By the way, have you noticed that the order of the pose has never changed?
12. 1986
In 1986 the picture was taken unusually close. It looks almost like a selfie, but the photographer also took this picture, which was taken in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Nixon, who grew up as an only child, said about himself that he had always been particularly fascinated by the sisterhood and this is shown in these pictures. With every year that passes, the sisters seem to show more of a united front.
Especially in this close-up of the portrait, the photographer can play very well with emotions. Such a close picture is something intimate and needs a lot of trust to each other to get such an excellent result.
13. 1987
Initial appearance of strong individuality, with the arms folded over the chest and the argument, gives way to a physical nail, as if independence were no longer such a concern. Over the years they have become women who stand in life and know what they want, each sister for herself.
In 1987 in Chatham, Massachusetts, the women appear much more mature than in the previous year. The lighting conditions also help here.
A strong light shines from above on the faces of the four models. This casts strong shadows around the eyes and noses, which makes them look older, but also more austere.
14. 1988
On the photo from 1988 a clear fashionable change can be seen. It was shot in Wellesley, Massachusetts and already clearly shows that fashion is evolving towards the style of the 1990s.
Wide T-shirts with eye-catching print are now becoming the trend. In addition, animal print is now also quite trendy. However, not much has changed in the hairstyles of the sisters compared to the beginning. They are black and white photos, but their hair colour looks natural.
15. 1989
We see what is going on between the sisters, especially in posture and limbs. A hand surrounds the waist of a sister, arms embrace arms or are looped over a shoulder in loose solidarity. In 1989 the sisters met again in Cambrigde, Massachusetts. With each additional photo, the viewer establishes a more intimate relationship with the women and has the feeling of knowing them better and better.
Over the years, one could almost say, you grow together like a tree that puts its roots deep into the ground. This simply makes the relationship inseparable, as the true connection is deep in the earth. In this picture, Mimi and Bebe look very connected to each other. It’s as if they have been the central point this year, hiring their sisters to continue with the photo series.
16. 1990
1990 marks not only a new decade, but also a new fashion era. In Woodstock, Vermont, it must have been relatively cold that day. Unfortunately it has not been documented at which seasons the photos were taken. In New England, however, summers are also mild and on some days you need a warm sweater.
They didn’t coordinate their outfits, but it looks like they have chosen the perfect combination of fleece, jeans and turtlenecks. Their faces look stronger this time than before, maybe everyone has had a hard time. True to the motto ” What dosent kill you, make you stronger”.
17. 1991
In 1991 the four sisters met for the annual portrait in Watertown, Massachusetts.
The cumulative effect of the photos is dizzying and powerful. When 36 of the pictures were exhibited in a gallery in Granada, Spain, the audience cried in part. Such a regular documentation is so special and clearly shows the course of life.
Her parents lived here, and they organized a big party every year. Simply because they loved each other and were looking forward to nothing more than holding their whole family in their arms. On pictures, time simply passes far too quickly. We would all love to capture the best time at the age of 20 and to gain endlessly beautiful experiences from here.
18. 1992
The photo taken in 1992 in Concord, Massachusetts shows almost 5 people, because one of the sisters is pregnant in the photo. Another sister lovingly caresses her belly. This once again clearly shows the connection between the siblings, which was already clearly visible in previous photos.
The youngest, first one to have a child. But she took her time with it. After all, this decision affects your whole life. But in her early thirties, the start of a new chapter in life is the perfect time.
The feminine dress also suggests that the beautiful Mimi has arrived completely in her femininity. She looks very beautiful.
19. 1993
In 1993 the sisters were seen in a warm evening light in Boston. The deepening of the sisters’ relationships extends to collaboration with Nixon. Each sister has always had the opportunity to make the annual selection about which reception would symbolize this year. In the last 10 years the process has become much more collaborative.
It is hard to believe that the same activity may seem easier to develop only after ten years. But now, through the photographer Nixon, you realize how simple things can be once you have practiced them often enough. Mimi has an incredible body after her pregnancy, it has to be said.
20. 1994
The picture from 1994 seems to be little posed and shows the women in Grantham, New Hampshire. Meanwhile, we have arrived in the middle of the 1990s and the women are now very experienced when it comes to the annual photo. You seem to be comfortable in front of the camera.
Outside the annual career at the photo shoot, the siblings radiate a very great talent as models. Unfortunately, they became famous only after 40 years, which is already a bit too late for a modeling career. But for sure, they also loved to be photographed. You can see this simply by the attitude of the women.
21. 1995
In 1995 the sister and the photographer celebrate the 20th anniversary of the photo project. This is really a remarkable achievement, but no one thinks about finishing the project when they meet in Marblehead, Massachusetts for the annual portrait and pose as usual. At that time no one had any idea what success the project would have over 20 years later.
The story took its course after the twentieth anniversary and discussions about it have developed. However, no one would have believed that the open-minded sisters were only at their halfway point. I wonder what else is going to happen in history?
22. 1996
The 1996 portrait was taken in Lexington, Massachusetts. As a viewer, you ask yourself many questions about the lives of women. Do they all have a family and a partner? Are they happy and healthy? It is hoped that the sisters will hold on to it for a long time to come and do the annual portrait.
One thing is certain, one of the sisters was the first to have her baby in 1992, which has now grown into a toddler. The other siblings have a husband and live in separate houses but have not yet had children. Will this change soon? We remain curious.
23. 1997
The 1997 picture shows little change from the previous year, but it has been some time since the sisters in Wellesley Hills, Massachusetts, have posed in their usual way. Isn’t it impressive how similar the four women look? The parents’ genes have clearly asserted themselves in Allen. I wonder what the parents look like.
The style of the ladies has changed a lot in the meantime, they look much more grown-up and the jewelry is only very discreetly chosen. The oldest one smiles inconspicuously and at the same time obviously into the camera and holds her left hand over the shoulder of the second oldest sister. On her finger you can see the wedding ring, was this the sign of love she wanted to show to Nixon?
24. 1998
1998 was a windy day in Falmouth, Massachusetts. It seems that a late summer day has been chosen for the annual recording. In the evening light the sisters seem almost a little younger than the year before. All in all they look very satisfied and radiate their inner beauty to the outside.
Have you noticed that each of the pictures was taken in black and white? Yes, actually. And there’s a very specific reason for that. At the beginning, there were only black and white photographs and to keep the same style, they simply chose to stick to it. Besides, these pictures look very serious and radiate something very special.
25. 1999
In Brookline, Massachusetts, the last portrait of the sisters in the 20th century was taken in 1999. The women seem relaxed and very casual. One sister wears her sunglasses in her hair and another wears an open blouse. This year they seem particularly familiar again, as if life had welded them together again.
Now the wrinkles in all four sisters can no longer be denied. But the naturalness makes the women shine with beauty. They didn’t let themselves be dragged along with the usual trend, and they didn’t need to, because they knew exactly how to define true beauty for themselves.
26. 2000
The first portrait of the sisters in the 21st century was taken on the beach of Eastham in Massachusetts. The women embrace each other and it seems a little cold to them, so that they warm each other. The cohesion and trust within the family can be clearly seen. Does it also warm your heart?
This intimate love flourishes more and more with each passing year, it is incredible that the sisters are still so disciplined to take this one picture. Family means being able to rest, breathe and let go with unconditional trust. In the new century this motto is more than perfectly chosen. It simply invites you to simply take your own family in your arms again and say “Thank you”.
27. 2001
Apparently the women liked it on the beach and so it is also the backdrop of the photo in 2001. This year, however, the photo was taken in Brewster. The sisters look very cool and are chic and dressed as if they would have dinner together afterwards. The weather must have been nice in the time before the photo, because the women are tanned.
In the background you can see some footprints. The hidden details are simply ingeniously set in scene. As a symbol of transience, life goes on and on, no matter what happens, you can’t capture time. And in the end, sooner or later everything else we leave behind on our earth will also pass away.
28. 2002
In 2002 the shooting took place again in Marblehead, Massachusetts. One notices that the women have found their own style, because the changes in clothing and hairstyles are no longer as big as at the beginning. It’s a common process that’s part of aging. However, the patterned shirts of the two sisters standing outside have meanwhile gone out of fashion.
It was a beautiful summer’s day and the sky shone in a deep blue. The faces shone with it, but somehow Laurie looked especially changed. As if she had simply changed an event. Maybe it was simply time that changed you, or maybe it was fate?
29. 2003
In 2003 the beach returned as a backdrop and the sisters met in Ipswich for the photo of the year. Plain clothes without prints have once again conquered women’s wardrobes, and they look much more casual than in the colourful patterns.
Buttons are the trend this year and the high-waist trousers are a must, of course in a comfortable look. The hair is blowing wildly through the wind and the beach curls come out very strongly. It’s also a bit hard to keep your eyes open in this sun, but luckily your face doesn’t face the sun. This would have made eye contact much more difficult.
30. 2004
Was 2004 a stroke of fate the reason for the new hairstyle of one sister? This year in Cataumet you can see a mobile phone on a photo for the first time. Did the nurse on the outside left deliberately attach the mobile phone to her belt? Looking back, it is a funny accessory that illustrates the technical development of the time.
Gradually over time, one notices only at great intervals what changes one goes through in a few years. So Laurie seems to have made herself more comfortable, and to have arrived at middle age. But quite the opposite to Mimi, who rather lost a few pounds. Happy they both do not look happy and Laurie does not even look into the camera.
31. 2005
In 2005 the sisters celebrated the 30th anniversary of the photo series. Did they know then, when they had themselves photographed again in Cataumet, that they would work on the project for another 10 years? We are certainly glad that it was not the last photo of the series and remember and like to remember the young women in the first portrait.
Probably that is why the gaze wandered towards the sisters, to take a last look at them. A beautiful gesture which is very moving at the end. One can only speak from the pictures, but two glances are enough to write a whole story from them. Wherever you look, there is a detail hidden in every corner.
32. 2006
Did the sister on the right side not feel like taking portrait photos anymore in 2006? We’ll probably never know what was going on inside her.
When we come to the last pictures, we feel the final inevitability that, as Nixon says, “Not everyone will be here forever”. The statement points to the darkening of the colour palette and in the bodies of the women who crouch together as if they wanted to stay above water.
Life is an unstoppable river, either we swim against the current and fight it, or we let ourselves drift and embrace our natural beauty. The decision is up to the individual.
33. 2007
Life has left clear traces on the faces of the sisters, as you can see in the photo from 2007. Seeing a person change over time can make us think that we share a closeness.
And this is the crux of the story. With their honest pictures, the four loving sisters want to show humanity that we all share the same fate. We will not remain young forever, even if many songs are sung about it.
We should start to accept that every life changes in the time of 40 years and that this is a good thing. I would even say that from the age of forty we only begin to understand life.
34. 2008
The sisters allow us to watch them, but we can’t go in. The restraint is especially evident in the early pictures: the carefully lowered forehead and the pressed lips. Sometimes the posture of a body or the angle of the jaw is downright reluctant.
In 2008, the photo was taken for the first time not in New England, but in Dallas, Texas. Did the sisters and their families take a holiday there together?
Acceptance and devotion are two extremely difficult things for which it takes us, if not a lifetime, to learn them. But in contrast, each of us collects many other experiences that are just as valuable.
35. 2009
In 2009 the sisters met again in New England for the annual photo. This year they seem particularly serious and introverted. Or maybe they’re just tired after a long day in the sun.
The older you get, the more you feel your body. So a long walk is perhaps just as exhausting as a strenuous run, compared to a young person. The whole body just doesn’t work as well as it used to and life gradually decelerates.
It’s time to face the facts and settle down. The sisters have already passed most of their working life. I wonder how many lives they have saved. In this reflection, this is a true heroic deed.
36. 2010
These motifs are something special in this age. Nowadays, virtually everyone is not only a photographer, but often also their own favorite motif. Nixon has thus created a paradox: the creation of photographs in which the private sphere is also at the forefront. The privacy of the sisters is still of the utmost importance to the artist and is reflected in his work. Also in 2010, recorded in Truro, Massachusetts.
A true masterpiece and his life project, which he can share with his four siblings from Massachusetts. Some stories, like this one, touch the other person in a very special way.
37. 2011
Turo was also the backdrop for the photo in 2011. Has Nixon switched to digital photography over time? Unfortunately we did not find any information about this.
Year after year, until the last breathtaking recording with their triumphant shadowy mood, their faces and attitudes say: Yeah, we’ll give you our picture, but nothing else.
It’s time to look ahead and leave everything else behind. Often we hold on to too much and don’t let go, we carry it around with us all our life. It is very easy to let go of the past when you have learned to forgive yourself and others.
38. 2012
The 2012 photo was taken by Nixon in Boston. Whether he knew then that after two more years the project would be over. In any case, he has not lost focus and this year, too, he took a picture that shows the intimate relationship between the sisters.
This portrait really shines out. On the one hand the picture speaks from its dynamics and on the other hand it shows the steadfastness of a rock that is standing in the surf. A very strong combination.
There is a clear development of poses and attitudes, the sisters have developed a lot. This can also be seen in the eyes.
39. 2013
2013 the photo was taken inside. This is a rare exception within the photo series. Still, it’s a nice photo of the sisters.
Once, when the sisters had unanimously made a decision that was not the same as Nixon’s, he bowed to their wish. “I have to be fair here,” he said. The relationship between the photographer and the women was also very familiar.
That was to be expected after 39 years. I still wonder what special similarities they had in common outside the project. This story remains a very intimate but at the same time very discreet story. They look like they’ve found each other completely in life.
40. 2014
In 2004 the project was completed with the last photo of the series. The women look satisfied and happy as they line up one last time in Wellfleet to take the final photo.
When Nixon’s own shadow appears for the first time in the photo and falls over the faces, in the photos from 1981, 1983 and 1984, next to the square of his 8 × 10 camera, one feels how he tries to join in order to be part of the group himself. But in later years the collaborative connection between him and his subjects becomes apparent. The women’s eyes now seem to look at the photographer with a touch of trust and sisterly affection. “We’re close,” confirms Nixon.
