The Decisive Moment.

CARTIER-BRESSON, Henri.

Item Number: 119636

New York: Simon and Schuster, 1952.

First edition of Cartier-Bresson’s classic work, with 126 photographs by “the Raphael of 20th-century photographers.” Folio, original illustrated boards. With the captions booklet laid in. Near fine in a near fine dust jacket with light expert restoration. Jacket design by Henri Matisse.

"Cartier-Bresson has a special interest in photographing people and in capturing the essence of what has not previously been seen. He is famous for his theory of the 'decisive moment'-that is seizing the split second when the subject stands revealed in its most significant aspect? Today he ranks as one of the most important and influential photographers of this century" (Blodgett, 96)—"the Raphael of 20th-century photographers" (Icons of Photography, 58). Decisive Moment is Cartier-Bresson's most famous work, containing his most comprehensive and important statement on the meaning, technique, and utility of photography. "The simultaneous publication [of this edition with Images à la Sauvette] in New York in July 1952, with a cover by Matisse (who had just had his retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art) was a tremendous success" (Roth, 134). With extremely scarce dust jacket; separate caption pamphlet (rarely found) laid in. Parr & Badger I:208. Open Book, 154-5.