Henri Cartier-Bresson

There is not just one, but indeed several Henri Cartier-Bressons. The young man, heavily influenced by Surrealism, who traveled to Africa, Italy, and Mexico in the early 1930s, was already different by the end of the decade when he engaged in politics alongside the Communists to thwart the rise of fascism in Europe. After World War II, yet another temperament emerged when he founded Magnum Photos and set off to photograph around the world. Most books and monographic exhibitions dedicated to the photographer have endeavored to demonstrate the stylistic unity of his work. Contrary to this unifying, and perhaps somewhat reductive approach, this current project aims to highlight the diversity of his photographic approach at different times. Through the story of this multifaceted eye, this grand retrospective also traces the history of the 20th century.

Henri Cartier-Bresson refused to be filmed or photographed. He did not want to be recognized in the street to continue working peacefully. However, after his exhibition at the MoMA in New York in 1947, he became, against his will, one of the most admired photographers of his time, a true living legend. Many professionals or amateurs who occasionally encountered him photographed him, often against his will. Thus, there exist numerous portraits of Henri Cartier-Bresson in action.

Comprising 300 works, including some of his most known pieces and discoveries, this retrospective is structured around these portraits. They punctuate the twenty or so sections of the exhibition, situating Henri Cartier-Bresson in his time, at a specific moment in his career; under the direction of Clément Chéroux (director of the Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson), foreword by Marie Ndiaye, preface by Michel-Édouard Leclerc, text by Clément Chéroux, black-and-white photos.

Features

Publication Date: 06/19/2024

Publisher: H. and E. Leclerc Fund

ISBN: 979-10-96209-17-0

EAN: 9791096209170

Format: Coffee Table Book

Binding: Hardcover

Number of Pages: 315 pages

Weight: 1.774 kg

Dimensions: 23.8 cm × 28.1 cm × 3.2 cm