When social documentary photographer Catherine Opie embarked on the project of documenting the home of actress Elizabeth Taylor in November of 2010, no one could have anticipated just how timely her visit was.
Midway through the project, Taylor died after a long struggle with congestive heart failure. Her passing brought a heavier weight to Opie's work, and it became a race against the clock to finish up before Taylor's possessions were sold.
Opie's goal was to create a portrait of Taylor through her personal belongings — the decor of her home, the carefully laid out Chanel shoes, and of course, her prized jewelry collection.
Although the two never met, Opie felt a connection with Taylor from the start.
"Elizabeth was an incredibly talented actor, and an even more impressive businesswoman who was important in starting amfAR and bringing awareness to AIDS as an activist," Opie told Business Insider.
The entire series, comprised of 129 images, can be found in the book "700 Nimes Road".
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Opie gained access to 700 Nimes Road — Taylor's residential address in the Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles — through her accountant, who also happened to be Taylor's.
Having never been inside the house, Opie approached the project with "a complete sense of discovery," she said. For six straight months, Opie would visit two or three times a week to shoot.
Taylor's delicate, feminine belongings, and her eye for pastel colors, created a "quiet and soft" atmosphere, according to Opie.
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