About This Artwork

Henri Cartier-Bresson
French, 1908–2004

Hyères, France, 1932

Gelatin silver print
19.8 x 29.5 cm
Verso, signed center in blue ink "Henri Cartier-Bresson, 31 rue de Lisbonne, Paris 8"
In pencil, circled "1"
Bottom right, in red pencil "B 418"
Lower bottom, in pencil "37.648 J. Levy"
Top left, in pencil "059"
Julien Levy Collection, Gift of Jean and Julien Levy, 1975.1134

Henri Cartier-Bresson became known for “the decisive moment,” an instantaneous composition of a scene, for which the photographer must act quickly and intuitively. As a photojournalist for Magnum Photos, the agency he founded with his colleagues Robert Capa and David “Chim” Seymour, he traveled across the world, photographing some of the most important events of the 20th century. Early in his career, he developed a distinct style of photography and made some of his most famous and enduring images.

Exhibition, Publication and Ownership Histories

Exhibition History

AIC, "Bystander: A History of Street Photography," December 10, 1994-April 16, 1995; traveled to the San Jose Museum of Art, January 16-April 4, 1999.

AIC, "Hot Streaks," February 21–May 2, 2004. (David Travis)

Paris, France, Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation "Documentary and Anti-Graphic Photography: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Walker Evans and Manuel Alvarez-Bravo," September 7–December 22, 2004; traveled to Switzerland, Musee de L'Elysee, February 10–April 10, 2005.

AIC, "Henri Cartier-Bresson and the Art and Photography of Paris," September 20, 2008–January 4, 2009. (David Travis)

Publication History

Cartier-Bresson, Henri. 1979. "Henri Cartier-Bresson Photographer." New York Graphic Society. pl. 13. (other print of this image)

Cartier-Bresson, Henri, Lincoln Kirstein, and Beaumont Newhall. 1947. "The Photographs of Henri Cartier-Bresson." Museum of Modern Art. p. 25. (other print of this image)

Galassi, Peter. 1987. "Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Early Work." Museum of Modern Art/New York Graphic Society. p. 100. (other print of this image)