La Sorbonne, Paris

In his seminal 1952 monograph, The Decisive Moment, Henri Cartier-Bresson wrote, “To take a photograph means to recognize, simultaneously and within a fraction of a second, both the fact itself and the rigorous organization of visually perceived forms that give it meaning.” Cartier-Bresson’s keen eye for such “decisive moments” – both on the grand scale of international politics and in the most ordinary moments of everyday life – have made him one of the most influential and original figures in the history of photography. A pioneer in the realms of photojournalism, street photography and portraiture, Cartier-Bresson’s iconic black and whites capture the drama, mystery and poetry of 20th century life with inimitable specificity and immediacy.

Céreste, France