Photography

A visit to "Truth Beauty" at the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC was prompted by an interest in early photographs. The exhibition focuses on Pictorialism, the era during 1880-1910 when photography became available to many and seen as a way to make art (the dry-plate process was introduced in the 1870s, and Kodak camera in 1888). The works in the show are painterly, lush and utterly gorgeous. Surprisingly several women were included, and not just as naked models. Photographer Eva Watson-Schütze predicted: “There will be a new era, and women will fly into photography." This heady period of new freedoms is worth a look.

by Eva Watson-Schütze

by Gertrude Kasebier

by Alice Boughton

This spring, I returned to the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and took in the Henri Cartier-Bresson retrospective. Cartier-Bresson is known as a keen observer and a great portraitist, but my niece Claire and I picked up on a running theme of duality. This pair of Polish mannequins is strangely animated, as if they could walk off at any moment. 

I loved the signage in this image, but was delighted to catch the humorously located horse head which I had thought was part of the sculpture. Look closely to see the echoed arc on the wall and shadow. 

In 1947 Henri helped pioneer the Magnum Agency, enabling photo journalists to reach a broader audience and maintain control over their work. I still remember the days before digital, when a photograph arrived with a cover sheet like this, a lovely collage of typography and instruction.