Henri Cartier-Bresson

signed and inscribed 'To Nancy and Beaumont with toutes mes amités Henri' in ink and with the photographer's credit and reproduction rights stamps on the reverse, 1944, printed no later than 1947; accompanied by a fragment of the original paper frame backing with the Beaumont and Nancy Newhall Collection stamp (The Decisive Moment, pl. 57)

Gift of the photographer, 1947

This warm print, on double-weight, pebble-textured paper with a light surface sheen, is in generally very good condition. The tonality of the print appears to have shifted towards a faint warm tonality in isolated areas. There is very minor edge wear, and the corners are lightly bent with creases that do not appear to break the emulsion. Upon close examination in raking light, a few small deposits of original retouching are visible. On the reverse of the print are the following notations: '12B 13' (likely by the photographer) in pencil; '#6' in an unidentified hand in ink; and 'Rec'd 15Apr47,' likely by Newhall, in pencil. There is light rust-colored staining. In the upper corner are small tape remains. When examined under ultra-violet light, this print does not appear to glow. We base our dating of this print on the acquisition notation on the reverse of the print, on appearance of the gelatin silver paper, and on how this paper compares to other prints made at this time. Unlike the later cool-white papers used by the photographer, this print is most comparable to those made by Picto labs starting in the late 1940s. Also characteristic of earlier prints of images by the photographer, this print does not have margins, unlike prints made under his supervision beginning in the 1970s.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Although he had yet to meet the young French photographer, Beaumont Newhall included the work of Henri Cartier-Bresson in his groundbreaking exhibition, Photography 1839—1937, The Museum of Modern Art's first major photography exhibition, and the first art-historical survey of the medium.  Beaumont and Nancy Newhall finally met Cartier-Bresson in 1946, when Nancy, in her capacity as acting curator at MoMA, proposed a retrospective exhibition of his work.  The resulting exhibition, in 1947, was Cartier-Bresson's first one-man museum show, and the accompanying catalogue featured essays by Beaumont Newhall and Lincoln Kirstein.  The photograph offered here, warmly inscribed, was given by Cartier-Bresson to the Newhalls in that year.