12th Oct, 2019 16:00

OstLicht Photo Auction Autumn 2019

 
  Lot 57
 

HENRI CARTIER-BRESSON (1908–2004)
Valencia, Spain 1933

Sold for €11,000


Lot details

Estimate: € 8.000–10.000

Gelatin silver print, printed in the 1960s, exhibition print

32,7 x 49 cm

Annotated in an unidentified hand in pencil on the reverse

PROVENANCE Estate of James A. Fox (former Magnum editor in chief)

LITERATURE Henri Cartier Bresson, The Decisive Moment, New York 1952, s.p; Robert Delpire (ed.), Henri Cartier-Bresson: Photographer, New York 1979, p. 89; Peter Galassi (ed.), Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Early Work, New York 1987, p. 107; Ben Maddow (ed.), Faces, Boston 1977, pl. 495; Daniel Wolf (ed.), The Art of Photography, 1839-1989, New Haven 1989, pl. 280; Jean-Pierre Montier, Henri Cartier-Bresson and the Artless Art, Boston 1996, pl. 166, p.169.

Working with a small hand-held Leica camera, Cartier-Bresson produced especially in the 1930s a body of images notable for their complexity. In this image Cartier-Bresson’s genius is evident especially in what he chose to leave outside the frame of the picture. There is no explanation present in the picture for the young boy’s outstretched arms and ecstatic expression. The child is bending back, but as if stabbed. In fact, the boy is awaiting the descent of a ball that has just been thrown in the air. The present print is in beautiful condition and comes originally from the private collection of James A. Fox, who worked as an editor for Magnum for more than 30 years.

Start price: €4.500