Some people have a unique viewpoint of the world. Others it seems, have lived a thousand lives in one. However, there are some who have both characteristics. This is the case of French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, one of the great masters of this art.
ALESSANDRA MAURO
Director of the exhibition
'With his camera, he always managed to capture the images of what was happening, and these accurately represented reality.â?
The last days of World War II in Nazi Germany were coming to a close. On the other side of the world, there was Gandhi's funeral in India, life in Russia after Stalin, the growing consumerism in post-war Europe and the coronation of George VI of England. Cartier-Bresson seemed to be everywhere, witnessing history before his very eyes.
The exhibition at the Ara Pacis in Rome collects over 500 works.
He was a master at capturing snapshots of everyday life. Thanks to this earlier training in painting, he always sought the prefect setting, even under imperfect circumstances.
ALESSANDRA MAURO
Director of the exhibition
'He studied extensively under Cubist painter, André Lhote, who taught him how to see, how to break down solids and reality. This slightly rigid, but complete perspective of space, of looking at space as a group of forces that interact, is something that can be seen in his photography.â?
The French genius was almost 100 years old when he passed away. He spent more than 70 years capturing reality, starting with his first trip to the Ivory Coast at the age of 23.
Thousands of hours of work and the experiences he caught on film have contributed to his place in history under the nickname 'the eye of the century.â?
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Up: MPI
