Figure 1.--We know very little about Henri Cartier-Bresson. He is dscribed as a humanist photigrapher and a master of candid ophotograohy. He did not specialize specifically on childrem, but captured soime womderful images of them. This is on of his photographs. I'm not sure when it was taken, but would guess the 1960s. �

Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908 � 2004) went out on the streets of France and snapped people and every day life as they really were. He is described as a humanist photigrapher and a master of candid photograohy. He came from a prosperous family with textile uinterests. He was educated in France, but did university work in England (Cambridge) where he became bilingual. He did not specialize specifically on childrem, but captured some womderful images of them. Much of his work was in France, but we know he worked in most other European countries as well. He even became the first Western photographer to be allowed to photograph freely in the Soviet Union. He is best know for his small Leica 35 mm rangefinder camera. He had a long career leaving a fascinating body of work. He spent most of his time as a boy in Normandy. We had fun with a box brownie as a boy. But his primary interest at first was painting and music. Only later did he turned to photograohy as a vacation. He established a reputation in in the 30s and even had a show in America before the War. He met and befriended Robert Capa in his travels around Europe. We have not yet found many examples of his 1930s work. He did both street photograohy, pauinting his Leica black for greater anonymity, and photo journalsm. He covered some of the momentous events of the mid-20th century. He covered the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). He was mobilized at the outbeak of World War II, but was captured by the Germans. After two failed attempts he escaped and joined the resistance, using his photograophic skills and trusty Leica to document the German occupation. After the War he did workn on returning French POWs. The New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) which thought he was killed during the War did a show on him (1947). He joined his friend Robert Caopa and others to form Magnum Photography. He was assigned Asia. He covered Gandhi's funeral in India (1948), the last months of the Chinese Civil War including the last surviving Imperial eunuchs in Beijing 1948), and Indinesian independence from the Dutch (1949). He took some beautiful photographs in southern India (1950). We notice some of his stree photography in Europe during the 1950s-60s. The photograph here is a good example (figure 1). During the 1970s his output slowed considerably. He decided that he had basically said all he had to say.

Childhood

Henri came from a prosperous family with textile interests. He was born (1908). Hisc parents had the money to support him in what ever was of interest.

Education

He was educated in France, but did university work in England (Cambridge) where he became bilingual.

Interests

He spent most of his time as a boy in Normandy. We had fun with a box brownie as a boy. But his primary interest at first was painting and music. Only later did he turned to photography as a vacation.

Camera and Film

He is best know for his small Leica 35 mm rangefinder camera. Most photographers like large format camers with film that priduces a large negatives. Cartier-Bresson preferred a small camera with only 35 mm film. He did both street photograohy, painting his Leica black for greater anonymity, and photo journalsm.

Street Photogrphy

Cartier-Bresson went out on the streets of France and snapped people and every day life as they really were. He tried to do it unobtrusively with his trysty Leica. This woyld not be allowed in many places today. He worked in less complicated times. And he has left a fascinating record of the era. Cartier-Bresson is described as a humanist photigrapher and a master of candid photograohy. He did not specialize specifically on childrem, but captured some womderful images of them. Much of his work was in France, but we know he worked in most other European countries as well. He even became the first Western photograoher to be allowed to photograph freely in the Soviet Union. He had a long career leaving a fascinating body of work. He established a reputation in in the 30s and even had a show in America before the War. He met and befriended Robert Capa in his travels around Europe. We have not yet found many examples of his 1930s street work. We notice some of his stree photograpohy in Europe during the 1950s-60s. The photograph here is a good example (figure 1). During the 1970s his output slowed considerablt. He decided that he had basically said all he had to say.

Photo Journalism

Cartier-Bresson covered some of the momentous events of the mid-20th century. He covered the Spanish Civil War (1936-39). He was mobilized at the outbeak of World War II, but was captured by the Germans. After two failed attempts he escaped and joined the resistance, using his photograophic skills and trusty Leica to document the German occupation. After the War he did workn on returning French POWs. The New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) which thought he was killed during the War did a show on him (1947). He joined his friend Robert Capa and others to form Magnum Photography. He was assigned Asia. He covered Gandhi's funeral in India (1948), the last months of the Chinese Civil War including the last surviving Imperial eunuchs in Beijing 1948), and Indinesian independence from the Dutch (1949). He took some beautiful photographs in southern India (1950). One of the last major events he covered was the Paris Student Riots (1968).

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Created: January 21, 2004
Last updated: 1:36 PM 8/10/2018