- Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photojournalist who died in 2004
- The father of photojournalism, he was a master of the street scene
- Gandhi’s funeral, George VI’s and last days of Kuomintang among subjects
- Worked for Vogue, Life and Time magazines, among many others
- 500 photos are on display at the Pompidou Centre in Paris until 9th June
14:37, 21 May 2014
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19:07, 21 May 2014
He was the French photographer turned Surrealist painter whose oeuvre includes his take on most of the 20th century’s key moments.
But, say the curators behind the retrospective at the Pompidou Centre in Paris, there was more to Henri Cartier-Bresson than spectacular photography.
Instead, his lengthy career encompassed several periods of artistic development, the foundation of the world’s first photo agency and some of the first photojournalism ever produced.
Revolution: This photo, taken during the May 1968 demonstrations, shows graffiti that reads: Pleasure Without Limits
Portrait of a loved one: This glamorous 1967 snap shows the legs of Cartier-Bresson’s wife, Martine Franck
Encompassing surrealism, the tumultuous events of May 1968, the Spanish Civil War, both World Wars and the post-war boom, Cartier-Bresson’s work is also a snapshot of the 20th century – warts, wars and all.
For Cartier-Bresson, born in 1908, his early years were idyllic ones. The eldest of five brothers born to wealthy parents in Paris, his first attempts at photography were encouraged and abetted by his family who bought him a Box Brownie camera.
He was also taught painting by his uncle Louis, although, sadly, the painting lessons were cut short when Louis was killed fighting for France during World War I.
The post-war world saw Cartier-Bresson continue to pursue his artistic ambitions, entering a private art school and the Lhote Academy, the Parisian studio of the Cubist painter and sculptor André Lhote.
Later life: Cartier-Bresson’s later work focused on portraiture such as this one of author Truman Capote
Americana: Martin Luther King pictured at the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta (left) and right, a man asleep in a Brooklyn cafe in 1947
The dying days of a regime: This photo, taken in Shanghai in 1949, shows a queue to exchange worthless paper money for gold
Innocent pastimes: An early photo showing holidaymakers sunbathing by the Marne river in 1936
New York, New York: Men relax next to a scrap lot on the streets of Harlem in a photo taken in 1947
Under Lhote’s tutelage, Cartier-Bresson enjoyed a classical French art education but fed up with Lhote’s rules, left for a stint at Cambridge University in 1928 where he learned to speak English, before in 1930, leaving the UK to complete his military service at Le Bourget.
During his military service, he met Caresse Crosby, the wife of hedonistic American publisher, Harry Crosby.
Drawn into their decadent social circle, he swiftly began an intense affair with Caresse and was heartbroken when the relationship ended two years later.
Desperate to get away, he booked a one-way trip to the then French colony, Côte d’Ivoire, where he survived by shooting game and selling it to locals.
Although the period saw Cartier-Bresson narrowly escape death after contracting blackwater fever, it also marked the beginning of his photographic career – all thanks to his faithful Box Brownie.
Glamorous: Cartier-Bresson also worked with magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar, taking this glamorous shot of model Evelyn Tripp in Las Vegas in 1958
Portrait of an artist: Painter Henri Matisse photographed at his home in the Alpes-Maritimes circa 1943 – 1944
Excited: The coronation of George VI in 1937 drew enormous crowds, many of whom had slept on the street (left). Others celebrated with the equally excited policemen
Important: This striking shot was taken during the Spanish Civil War and shows the aftermath of some of the fighting
Striking a pose: Henri Matisse gets to work on a portrait of one of his favourite models, Lydia Delectorskaya, from his studio in Nice
Portrait of a photographer: Cartier-Bresson pictured at work in 1935
On his return to France in late 1931, the budding photographer purchased himself a more advanced Leica camera and set about building a name for himself.
His spontaneous style, capturing moments as they happened and the ordinary people who starred in them, swiftly brought him critical acclaim, although as a surrealist photographer rather than a photojournalist.
That came later, when in 1937 when he covered the coronation of George VI and the adoring crowds that greeted the new monarch on the streets of London.
His reputation for capturing pivotal moments through the eyes of ordinary people was bolstered during Word War II, thanks to his work with the French Army’s film and photography unit, although he was later captured by the Nazis during the Battle of France.
Later, after escaping, he joined the Resistance, documenting the activities of agents through photography and film.
After the war, he joined Robert Capa and three others to found Magnum Photographs, the world’s first photographic agency, and travelled the world on behalf of clients ranging from Vogue to Time magazines.
Highlights included his coverage of the final days of the Kuomingtang administration in China before the country fell to Mao’s communists, and the funeral of Mahatma Gandhi.
His later work, much of which was devoted to portraiture and landscape, also included a rare glimpse inside what was then the Soviet Union, as well as portraits of such luminaries as Marilyn Monroe and Albert Camus.
Although Cartier-Bresson retired in the 1970s, he continued to work but in paint instead of on film. He died in 2004, aged 95, in the small and pretty Alpine village of Montjustin – a quiet end to a life lived vividly.
Henri Cartier-Bresson runs until the 9th June. See centrepompidou.fr for more information
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silenciohospital,
Monterrey, Mexico,
1 day ago
The first photo description has a wrong translation, the graffiti says: enjoy free entrance
poppy67,
London, United Kingdom,
1 day ago
pixels,
UK,
1 day ago
I saw many great examples of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s work at an exhibition at the Hayward Gallery in 1998, he was a truly remarkable photographer.
xcountmeinx,
Derbyshire, United Kingdom,
1 day ago
I just graduated in Photojournalism last summer and studied about Bresson alot. He’s one of my favourite Photographers, but seeing as I have no job, I wont be going to Paris anytime soon to see them
Im one of the Graduates the government seems to have forgotten about helping to look for jobs…
clutch14,
Resting…, United States,
1 day ago
These are amazing. Thank you so much Mr. Cartier-Benson for realizing how important your work would be, especially for us, here in the future.
MacDuff,
London, United Kingdom,
1 day ago
Genius is a much overused word these days, but he really had that amazing creative spark.
Photoman1980,
Crawley Down, United Kingdom,
1 day ago
An amazing photographer who picked up on everything. My hero!
Jenette,
Palo Alto,
1 day ago
Wow! What remarkable photos! Makes me want to grab a camera and capture the remarkable events coming our way.
Blond with a Brain,
Eden,
1 day ago
“Every picture tells a story” was surely never more appropriate.
Howard the 1st,
London-UK., United Kingdom,
1 day ago
The problem is the legacy of today’s paparazzi.
Fr.DuffyFighting69th,
Colorado, United States,
1 day ago
That shot of Capote had more to do with his initial success as a writer than his literary output. Cartier-Bresson was a genius.
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Henri Cartier-Bresson photographs go on display at the Pompidou Centre
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