HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON

SPAIN. Valencia Province. Alicante. 1933.

Who is the practitioner (what is their name?) and when were they practicing?

Born in 1908 in France, Henri Cartier-Bresson was an artist of many talents. Beginning with a love of surrealism painting, the artist soon moved onto photography in 1931. He bought his Leica camera in 1932. Cartier-Bresson remained active in his photography career up until the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, giving up this passion for drawing. It is important to address how accomplished this practitioner became, his documentary style of photography showcasing world events such as the liberation of Paris, the building of the Berlin Wall and the victory of communists in China.

What is the title of the photo or video you have chosen to analyse (can you provide a link?) 

The photograph I have chosen to analyse is part of Cartier-Bresson’s SPAIN. 1933. collection titled “SPAIN. Valencia Province. Alicante. 1933.”  It displays a portrait of three women.

With the photo or video, you are examining when was it produced (date)?

This photograph was produced in autumn of 1933, month and day unknown.

How was the photo or video authored?

Considering this photograph was taken in 1933, it is accurate to assume that Cartier-Bresson took this photograph with his recently purchased Leica 35mm rangefinder camera and a 50mm lens. Influenced by surrealism in his paintings, the Leica with a 50mm wide angle lens allowed this photograph to appear like a realistic painting. What is important to note is Cartier-Bresson was uninterested in the “photographic process” (Kestenholz, 2014). He liked to use little equipment so he didn’t stand out, and hence, captured more “real” moments. This photograph film would then have been developed.

How was the photo or video published?

This photograph was published as a gelatin silver print as part of a collection. As this photograph was printed, it has become an important piece in exhibitions and books. Buyers are able to purchase this photograph through auctions and in some cases, online. However, in the early 1900’s, it would have been hard to obtain this print. It also means that the process of publishing the photo would have been more intensive as it was taken on film.

How was the photo or video distributed?

Henri Cartier-Bresson – The Modern Century 

Although not evident in the picture above, photographs from the SPAIN 1933 collection have been exhibited many times at the MoMA. This distributes the artists work to many people at one time, in a space catered towards lovers of art and photography. Being an exhibition of just his work, the audience is implied to be lovers of Cartier-Bresson’s photography. This particular photograph is also displayed on the Magnum Photos website, which allows an audience in the digital world to access and view the print (which has been digitised for such consumption.)

REFERENCES:

Daniel Kestenholz 2014, Don’t Just Shoot 50mm Because Henri Cartier Bresson Did So, Photography Daily Theme, viewed 14 April 2019, https://the.me/dont-just-shoot-50mm-because-henri-cartier-bresson-did-so/

Foundation Henri Cartier-Bresson, Biography, viewed 14 April 2019, https://www.henricartierbresson.org/en/hcb/biography/

International Centre of Photography, Henri Cartier-Bresson, viewed 14 April 2019, https://www.icp.org/browse/archive/constituents/henri-cartier-bresson?all/all/all/all/0

Magnum Photos Pro, Henri-Cartier Bresson, viewed 14 April 2014 https://pro.magnumphotos.com/C.aspx?VP3=CMS3&VF=MAGO31_10_VForm&ERID=24KL53ZMYN