For its September 2003 issue, W. magazine commissioned artists Richard Prince, Takashi Murakami, Lisa Yuskavage, and Chuck Close, among others, to portray legendary British supermodel Kate Moss in their own unique style. Close chose to work within the delicate parameters of the daguerreotype. At first, he resisted the inclination to focus on Moss' famous face, instead producing diptychs of only her nude torso. It wasn't until Moss dressed at the end of their 5-hour session that Close began to photograph her natural, makeup-less face and tousled hair. This session resulted in the image presented here, detailed, unfiltered, and unretouched.

Of the daguerreotype’s tendency to accentuate contrasts in skin pigmentation, Close said, ‘any flaws on one's complexion are exaggerated wildly’ (Julie L. Belcove, 'All About Kate,' W., September 2003, p. 453). Moss understood the nature of the daguerreotype. She said to Close, 'I've had enough pretty pictures made of me.' It is after these daguerreotypes that the present enlarged digital pigment prints were made.