Europeans

by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Jean Clair (Contributor)

Henri Cartier-Bresson published a photographic collection entitled The Europeans in 1955, a portrait of the postwar continent whose occupants lived among ruins and still bore the mark of hunger. In this new volume of images spanning a period from the late 1920s to the 1970s, the celebrated photographer has surveyed a region whose separate parts have, over the years, begun to take on a "family likeness." Documenting the face of Europe at a time when the boundaries between individual countries appeared to be breaking down, Cartier-Bresson traveled from the Scandinavian shield to the Yugoslavian korst, from the Breton granites to the Irish bogs, scorning frontiers and customs posts and finding fragments of a greater identity that defied the sometimes dangerous pursuit of nationalism.
The unity and compassion of his eye are imposed on the infinite diversity of cultures, on the complexity of hills and valleys, on the variety of fields and foliage, and on the jumble of roads and rivers. In both countryside and city, people inhabit the landscape, sometimes alone, a face, a single gaze, but often couples, twin figures, mirrored individuals, linked solitudes. These photographs speak of the same daily ceremony, of the sweet and painful doggedness of people in the ongoing business of living, whether English opera-goers in formal evening wear, Polish priests in alb or cassock, or Abruzzi peasants shrouded in the black of their cloaks and hats.

Genres: Photography, Art, France, Nonfiction, Art and Photography

232 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Henri Cartier-Bresson was a French photographer considered to be the father of modern photojournalism, an early adopter of 35 mm format, and the master of candid photography. He helped develop the "street photography" or "real life reportage" style that has influenced generations of photographers that followed.

Reviews

[Dmitry Berkut · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of photographs, first published in 1955 and updated 45 years later. Cartier-Bresson traveled all over Europe, from the late 1920s to the early 1970s, capturing moments from the lives of people across different countries and cultures. Each photograph in this book serves as a window into the past, revealing a world where everyday rituals and activities unite us despite our national and cultural differences. Whether photographing a Polish priest in an alb, a Cossack, or a resident of Abruzzo in a black hat and cloak, Cartier-Bresson captured more than just visual images. He highlighted the commonalities in our lives, reflecting a spirit of unity that pervades the entire continent.

I adore Magnum's black-and-white documentary aesthetic. For me, viewing these photographs is a way to visually recharge with inspiration and absorb a piece of the photojournalist's spark.

[fióka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Leheletnyit lepontoztam, ui. a válogatás nem mindenhol egyformán erős. A francia, portugál, olasz, spanyol, szovjet, talán még a brit fotók is reprezentatívak, izgalmasak, eredetiek. A többi nem sikerült annyira jól, gondoltam - bár most kezdtem el elmélkedni, hogy ha pl. a Magyarországon készült három fotó: egy lipicai ménes, egy hímzett konyhai falvédő nyomtatott verzióját hordozó kirakat (?), ablak (?) és egy végtelenségig lecsupaszított, hófútta táj, három derékba vágott fűzfával volna minden, ami Magyarországról elmondható, akkor ott illene megijednünk. Végül is nem Cartier-Bresson tévedett, hanem én.
Javítom a csillagok számát, még akkor is, ha a szépérzékem halkan tiltakozik a háttérben, annak ellenére, hogy tudja, nem minden szép, ami jó és vice versa.

[ツツ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Composition reminiscent of paintings. Geometry. Humour. Tension. I like these photos way better than the portraits he’s most known for.

[Andrew Ives · Rating 3 out of 5]

This rather nicely printed hardback opens with a few pages of irritatingly verbose and overly-effusive claptrap by Jean Clair comparing HCB and his works to everyone from Picasso, Hadrian, sundry French high-brow writers nobody is familiar with and even a selection of archangels! Certainly, HCB is a decent photographer, but let's not let our imaginations run riot before we even start... It is also quite clear that many of the people featured in these shots saw the photographer nearby, and are not as super-candid or instantaneous as Jean Clair proclaims.

Of the 187 b&w photos themselves, I found them quite a mixed bag. A few are masterpieces (such as the icy view of Cologne on page 153, which could've been more accurately compared with Monet than the Spanish trio compared to Picasso), a few others I would hang on my wall (such as the horses in Hungary on p136-7), many more would make very decent newspaper reportage and about half of them are surprisingly forgettable. If I had travelled around all of Europe, during religious processions, royal balls, coronations, funerals, liberations of prison camps and sporting galas, with a fancy camera and a thousand rolls of film, I'd have to be a particularly unartistic halfwit to return without a comparable collection of decent photographs. Even HCB managed to visit Portugal, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland, Holland, Sweden and Romania, and still came away with hardly any photographs of note.

On the whole, I found this book rather disappointing and underwhelming. I'd like to see more of HCB's work though. 3.25/5

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

With 187 duotones beautifully printed, this collection of black-and-white photos is worthy of ownership and endless flipping. HCB traveled extensively, from France to England, Spain, Portugal, Italy, Yugoslavia, Turkey, Romania, Greece, Switzerland, Germany, Poland, USSR; I've left a few others out, but they are all represented here, and in doing so it is among the first examples of treating all of Europe as one. I can't recommend the dense (but brief) essay by Clair, but that barely detracts from a gorgeous book from the master.

[Brad · Rating 5 out of 5]

The great master of twentieth century photography.

[Wendelius · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful coffee table book that just keeps me coming back again and again.

Bresson chronicled the sights and people he encountered on his travels so well he takes you there. He is also a master who knows the rules and makes them work to really draw you in and tell a story.

You can draw so much pleasure looking at the photographs, some nearly 100 years old. And you can equally draw a lot of inspiration and learn from the way he saw things.

I love Bresson's style.

[Ana Monteiro · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great photography master interprets Europeans from multiple countries in their character and authenticity.
This book’s collection is a good compilation of the artist’s grand tour of Europe.
The format and print quality, though not outstanding, are good enough to allow for a great experience and immersion in Cartier Bresson’s works on this subject.

[Simon · Rating 4 out of 5]

While not every photo in here is a classic, a lot of them are. A portrait of a continent in the middle of the last century, shown through HC-B's sharp eye for composition and timing. But Jean Clair's introduction is pretentious and reactionary.

[Sotiris Zafeiris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Classic

[Softweargirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the black and white of the 50's by one of my fave photographers...love his work.