Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Early Prints

Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Early Prints at Edwynn Hauk Gallery. "...Originally trained as a painter in the studio of the Cubist artist and sculptor André Lhote, Henri Cartier-Bresson turned to photography out of frustration with his early painting. Inspired by his interaction with young members of the Surrealist movement, Cartier-Bresson recognized photography’s ability to 'trap life' instantly. When he was twenty-four, Cartier-Bresson acquired a hand-held Leica camera, which would accompany him for the rest of his career. The Leica became an “extension of his eye” and enabled the artist to combat the 'formal and unnatural behavior' of those who were aware of being photographed. Cartier-Bresson fully embraced the freedom and anonymity that this small camera gave him."