Henri Cartier-Bresson: Photographer

Sensational works of French photographer and artist Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908–2004) are showcased in this comprehensive collection. Cartier-Bresson, widely regarded as a pioneer of street photography, candidly captured people and places with his 35mm Leica camera (it was “light and not very conspicuous,” Bonnefoy writes). Images of children playing (such as kids running along a sidewalk in 1962 Montreal, or gathering in Madrid square in 1933) showcase an invigorating innocence and joy, while other photographs (a funeral for a kabuki actor in 1965 Tokyo; a mother and sickly baby in Madurai, India, in 1947) evoke a visceral sense of despair. The greatest strength of Cartier-Bresson’s work is its far-reaching nature. Whether it is of magnificent city streetscapes—of, say, Istanbul, Naples, or Paris—or simple portraits of individuals (an Imperial court eunuch in 1949 Beijing; William Faulkner in 1947 Oxford, Miss.), his pictures captivate viewers with their artistic composition and intensity. This is a must-have for art lovers and photographers alike. (May)