Shanghai, 1949
Photograph
1949 (made)
1949 (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.
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.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Title | Shanghai, 1949 (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Gelatin silver print |
Brief description | Gelatin-silver print photograph by Henri Cartier-Bresson depicting a mass of people pushing and shoving one another in a queue for gold in Shanghai during a peak of hyperinflation. China, 1949. |
Physical description | Black and white photograph of a mass of people pushing and shoving one another. With the hyperinflation in 1949 in China and the devaluation of paper money, the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist Party) opted to distribute 40 grams of gold per person. Many thousands of people queued in line for hours. The police, accompanied by the remainder of the International Concession army personnel, were put in place to maintain order. However around a dozen people were reportedly crushed to death. |
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. |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.621-1998 |
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Record created | March 26, 2009 |
Record URL |
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