Madrid
Photograph
1933 (made)
1933 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
The Victoria and Albert Museum has over 440 photographs by Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004), a French photographer who is considered to be one of the fathers of photojournalism and masters of candid photography. He sought to capture the 'everyday' in his photographs and took great interest in recording human activity. He wrote, "For me the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity, the master of the instant which, in visual terms, questions and decides simultaneously. In order to 'give a meaning' to the world, one has to feel involved in what one frames through the viewfinder. This attitude requires concentration, discipline of mind, sensitivity, and a sense of geometry. It is by economy of means that one arrives at simplicity of expression."
As a reporter and co-founder of the Magnum photography agency, Cartier-Bresson accepted his responsibility to supply information to a world in a hurry. He documented the liberation of Paris, the collapse of the Nationalist regime in China, Gandhi's funeral and the partitioning of Berlin. Cartier-Bresson helped develop the street photography style that has influenced generations of photographers that followed.
"Madrid" is one of Cariter-Bresson's most iconic images, prints of which are held by many international museums and are regularly included in exhibitions on the artist.
As a reporter and co-founder of the Magnum photography agency, Cartier-Bresson accepted his responsibility to supply information to a world in a hurry. He documented the liberation of Paris, the collapse of the Nationalist regime in China, Gandhi's funeral and the partitioning of Berlin. Cartier-Bresson helped develop the street photography style that has influenced generations of photographers that followed.
"Madrid" is one of Cariter-Bresson's most iconic images, prints of which are held by many international museums and are regularly included in exhibitions on the artist.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Title | Madrid (popular title) |
Materials and techniques | Gelatin silver print |
Brief description | Black and white photograph by Henri Cartier-Bresson depicting a large group of boys playing in a street in Madrid. Spain, 1933. |
Physical description | Black and white photograph taken from a low viewpoint looking up to a group of young boys. In the middle-ground is a middle-aged suited man walking across the frame and behind him young boys play. The figures are flanked by a large building, which has a few irregularly-placed small windows disrupting its giant facade. |
Dimensions |
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Subjects depicted | |
Places depicted | |
Summary | The Victoria and Albert Museum has over 440 photographs by Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004), a French photographer who is considered to be one of the fathers of photojournalism and masters of candid photography. He sought to capture the 'everyday' in his photographs and took great interest in recording human activity. He wrote, "For me the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity, the master of the instant which, in visual terms, questions and decides simultaneously. In order to 'give a meaning' to the world, one has to feel involved in what one frames through the viewfinder. This attitude requires concentration, discipline of mind, sensitivity, and a sense of geometry. It is by economy of means that one arrives at simplicity of expression." As a reporter and co-founder of the Magnum photography agency, Cartier-Bresson accepted his responsibility to supply information to a world in a hurry. He documented the liberation of Paris, the collapse of the Nationalist regime in China, Gandhi's funeral and the partitioning of Berlin. Cartier-Bresson helped develop the street photography style that has influenced generations of photographers that followed. "Madrid" is one of Cariter-Bresson's most iconic images, prints of which are held by many international museums and are regularly included in exhibitions on the artist. |
Collection | |
Accession number | PH.581-1978 |
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Record created | March 19, 2009 |
Record URL |
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