A new edition of one of the most important and genre-defining photobooks of the 20th century.
One of the greatest photography books ever published, The Decisive Moment gathers the most compelling images from the first twenty years of Henri Cartier-Bresson’s career, work that continues to inform contemporary photography today. The intimate, humanist documentary pictures received huge critical acclaim within the art world and the book is considered a “bible for photographers”, in the words of photographer Robert Capa.
The original edition of this book was first published in 1952 by Verve with an original collage cover by Henri Matisse and has since become a valuable collector's item. A later edition was re-issued in the 2010's by Steidl, which also fetches second hand prices several times the original price. The Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson have now sought to make this classic photography book accessible again, in a smaller and practical format, at an affordable price. The latest edition features the same material as the original 1952 edition, and is accompanied by extra material, including a comprehensive study of the book’s making, its enduring popularity and the impact and significance of the phrase and title 'The Decisive Moment'.
Henri Cartier-Bresson, the godfather of photojournalism and co-founder of the prestigious Magnum Photo Agency is widely regarded as the most influential photographer of the 20th century, and to this day, his remarkable photography continues to delight and inspire in equal measure.
This is without question, one of the most important photobooks of all time, and deserves a place on all good bookshelves.
New, minty fresh, sealed copies in stock and available now.