Accession Number
1971/2.149

Title
Valencia, Spain

Artist(s)
Henri Cartier-Bresson

Artist Nationality
French (culture or style)

Object Creation Date
1933

Medium & Support
gelatin silver print on paper

Dimensions
9 1/8 in x 13 5/8 in (23.2 cm x 34.6 cm);18 1/8 in x 22 3/16 in (46.04 cm x 56.36 cm);10 15/16 in x 9 11/16 in (27.7 cm x 24.6 cm)

Credit Line
Museum Purchase

Subject matter
Henri Cartier-Bresson is known for “the decisive moment,” which is characterized as the fleeting time in which a photographer must make an instantaneous decision. Bresson began photographing seriously in 1930, acquiring a Leica, which was used throughout his career photographing some of the 20th century’s most important events. Bresson co-founded Magnum Photos with Robert Capa, David Seymour, and George Rodger. This photograph was made in Valencia, Spain, and shows a boy attempting to catch a ball. The ball was cropped out of frame, which decontextualizes the boy's gesture.

Physical Description
A photograph of a young boy standing in front of a wall. He looks up with his arms spread wide. The peeling paint on the wall creates a textured backdrop.

Primary Object Classification
Photograph

Collection Area
Photography

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form.

Keywords
boys
exterior walls
modern and contemporary art
paint (coating)
portraits
standing
streets
walking