The two most important developments in photography in the first half of the twentieth century were the emergence of lasting artistic traditions and the rise of mass-circulation picture magazines. Cartier-Bresson was a leading figure in both domains, while also infusing photography with the role of seizing history. In this selection he captured the volatile atmosphere in Paris during May 1968 from the perspective of the masses. Using a handheld camera to snatch beguiling images from fleeting moments, Cartier-Bresson seized the spontaneity of the events, the diversity of the crowds, and the revolutionary sentiment that characterized this year of civil unrest.
Gallery label from From the Collection: 1960-69, March 26, 2016 - March 12, 2017.