River Marne, 1938
Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908–2004) was a pioneering French photographer and a co-founder of Magnum Photos, known for his concept of "the decisive moment" — the perfect alignment of subject, composition, and timing. Initially trained as a painter and influenced by Surrealism, his photography masterfully combined documentary realism with artistic elegance. Cartier-Bresson captured significant historical events, including the Spanish Civil War, the liberation of Paris, and the final days of Mahatma Gandhi. His seminal photobook "Images à la Sauvette" ("The Decisive Moment") remains a defining work in photographic history. Through his intuitive eye and profound understanding of human experience, Cartier-Bresson established photography as both a journalistic and artistic medium, leaving an enduring legacy in 20th-century visual culture.