Henri Cartier-Bresson

ferrotyped, credit, date, and caption in pencil, extensively stamped, including 'USED IN LIFE Jan. 17, 1949' and 'Famous Picture' stamps and label, and with annotations in pencil, china marker, and ink on the reverse, 1948 (China in Transition, unpaginated; The Decisive Moment, pl. 109)

Time Inc. Picture Collection

Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

This early print is likely the earliest published print from the original photo essay by the photographer in LIFE magazine. It is ferrotyped, on double-weight, slightly warm-toned paper, and has been trimmed to the image. As an important print in the Time Inc. Picture Collection, it was circulated often and well-used in the company publications until circulation was forbidden. The edges are rubbed, with small losses of emulsion, and the corners are rounded and creased and also exhibit losses. There is a 1 1/4-inch tear, with emulsion loss, at the lower left edge. When examined in raking light, extensive craquelure and creasing is visible over all. Additionally in raking light, the notations from the reverse are visible. The reverse has been extensively stamped, marked and annotated in ink, china marker, and pencil. There are rust-colored brown deposits from cello tape in 3 places at the periphery of the print on the reverse, notably at the top edge. Additionally, 10 white adhesive labels have covered some of the information on the reverse. The caption was written by Doris O'Neil, later director of the Time Inc. Picture Collection. David E. Scherman and Doris C. O'Neil, eds., The Best of Life (New York, 1973), pp. 28-29 (this print) Other prints of this image: China in Transition: A Moment in History (London, 1956), pl. 57 Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Face of Asia (New York, 1972), pp. 170-71 Henri Cartier-Bresson: Photographer (Boston, 1979), p. 70 Peter Galassi, Henri Cartier-Bresson: The Modern Century (The Museum of Modern Art, 2010), p. 113
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This print was used for the first publication of this image, in the 17 January 1949 issue of LIFE, under the headline, 'Chinese Gold Rush - Red Advance Brings Shanghai Panic,' and captioned 'A line of gold-seekers, with knees bent and arms entangled in forced embraces, is squeezed by a new onslaught from the rear as panic grows' (p. 33).