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| Evelyn Franklin: Who Was Richard Avedon’s Second Wife and How Did She Die? |
Evelyn Franklin was Richard Avedon’s second wife, the mother of his only child and the woman who remained legally married to the celebrated fashion photographer until her death in 2004. Their relationship lasted for more than five decades, although they separated in the early 1970s.
While Avedon built an extraordinary career photographing some of the most recognisable faces in the world, his family life was considerably less straightforward. Netflix’s documentary Avedon brings that quieter part of his story into focus, with their son, John Avedon, offering personal recollections of his parents’ complicated marriage and the woman who spent much of her life away from the public spotlight.
Evelyn Franklin married Richard Avedon in 1951, following his divorce from his first wife, Dorcas Nowell, in 1949. Little has been publicly documented about Evelyn’s early years, her upbringing or the family she came from. Unlike her husband, she never became a public figure, and there is remarkably little information about her life before their relationship. Their marriage marked the beginning of a new chapter for both of them, although the reality of living alongside an increasingly successful photographer would eventually prove difficult.
In 1952, the couple welcomed their only child, John Avedon. From the outside, they appeared to be building an ordinary family life, but John's account in the Netflix documentary suggests that things were not quite so simple behind closed doors. Richard was deeply committed to his photography, spending long periods working and travelling. His professional ambitions demanded considerable attention, and colleagues remembered him as someone whose dedication to his craft was almost impossible to switch off.
That level of commitment may have come at a cost to his home life. Richard's photographs brought him international recognition, but maintaining a marriage required a different kind of attention, one that was not always available when work occupied so much of his time. For Evelyn, being married to someone whose career constantly demanded his presence elsewhere appears to have been a particularly difficult experience.
According to a 2020 report by the New York Post, Evelyn reportedly experienced chronic depression during her marriage. John recalled seeing his mother withdraw from everyday family life, sometimes refusing to speak to anyone for days. He described her presence in the household as resembling a ghost, a striking recollection that offers a glimpse into how her condition affected those around her.
The documentary also provides insight into the tension between Evelyn and Richard. She reportedly suspected her husband of having an affair, adding another source of strain to an already complicated relationship.
The New York Post account also described troubling incidents involving Evelyn, including allegations that she would extinguish cigarettes in the palm of her hand when she felt she was not receiving the attention she wanted. These accounts paint a picture of a deeply unhappy period, although they should be understood as reported recollections rather than a complete account of her personal circumstances.
Richard himself was notably private about his marriage. While he was comfortable capturing intimate moments through his camera lens, he offered considerably less insight into his own domestic life. It is an interesting contrast: a man who spent his career documenting other people's emotions and personalities left much of his own family story outside the frame.
John also reflected on how his mother's difficulties may have affected his father. Richard's sister, Louise Avedon, had reportedly experienced mental health difficulties too, giving the family another complicated dimension. Looking back as an adult, John suggested that he could better understand how Evelyn's condition might have influenced Richard and the atmosphere within their household. It is a perspective that adds context without necessarily providing all the answers about what happened between his parents.
Evelyn and Richard separated in 1972, ending their life together as a couple without formally ending their marriage. They never divorced, and Richard reportedly continued supporting Evelyn throughout the remaining years of her life. Their arrangement was unusual, particularly considering how long they lived separately, but it also suggests that their relationship did not simply disappear when their shared household came to an end.
Evelyn Franklin Avedon died on 13 March 2004, aged an unconfirmed number of years. The precise circumstances surrounding her death have not been widely documented. Available accounts do not establish a specific medical cause, so it would be inaccurate to state definitively that she died from natural causes. Her later years also remain largely undocumented, leaving considerable gaps in the public record of her life.
Richard Avedon died on 1 October 2004, approximately six months after Evelyn. He was 81 and had continued working until shortly before his death. The photographer's passing marked the end of a remarkable career, but it also closed a chapter in a family story that had remained largely private for decades. Despite their separation, Richard and Evelyn were still legally married when they died.
There is something particularly fascinating about Evelyn's place in Richard Avedon's biography. She was connected to one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century, yet her own identity has largely been reduced to the label of his second wife. That is hardly a complete introduction to a person who lived an entire life beyond her husband's professional achievements.
In my opinion, Evelyn's story deserves more attention than simply being presented as another chapter in Richard Avedon's complicated personal life. It is easy to become fascinated by the glamorous world surrounding a celebrated photographer, especially when his career involved famous personalities, major fashion campaigns and extraordinary artistic achievements. However, the people waiting at home rarely receive the same attention as the people standing in front of the camera. John's recollections make the documentary particularly interesting because they offer a family perspective rather than another celebration of Richard's professional legacy.
At the same time, we should be careful not to reduce Evelyn to her reported struggles or assume that we understand everything about her marriage from a handful of accounts. She had her own experiences, feelings and identity, even if the historical record has not preserved much of them. Perhaps the biggest irony is that a photographer famous for capturing the details of other people's lives left so much of his own family's story unexplained. What do you think? Should Netflix have explored Evelyn's life in greater detail, rather than focusing primarily on Richard's remarkable career? Share your thoughts.