Eve Arnold Overview
Regarded as one of the most important photojournalists of the twentieth century, Eve Arnold documented people from a geographically and socially diverse range - from celebrities to ordinary people at work, world leaders to the people living under them. These subjects are all brought together under the naturalistic way in which Arnold took their photos, refusing to use studios and large equipment so as not to intimidate her subjects, but rather favouring spontaneity and natural light in order to capture a sense of reality. Her work is equally characterised by the compassion of the photographer behind the camera, her photos were never invasive but taken through the lens of respect and curiosity. Eve Arnold was also a champion of colour photography at a time where it was considered purely commercial, while black and white photography was viewed as ‘art’. She was quoted as to saying that she did not want to limit herself in this way, and would choose whichever technique she felt best reflected the mood and moment of her photograph.
Arnold began studying photography in New York in 1948, under Alexi Brodovitch, who was the art director for the fashion magazine Harper’s Bazar at the time. Photographs that she took of the fashion of those attending Black churches in Harlem (for an assignment) differed greatly to the standard of fashion photography of the time, which was studio lit, formulaic, and lacked diversity. These photographs, and a picture essay on migrant workers on Long Island, caught the attention of Henri Cartier-Bresson and Robert Capa, who subsequently invited Arnold to join their photographic agency, Magnum Photos. Arnold was first associated with them in 1951, and became the agency’s first female member in 1957. She went on to win many awards and honours throughout her career; being elected Master Photographer by the International Centre of Photography, New York in 1995 (the world’s most prestigious photographic honour) and receiving an honorary OBE in 2003. Eve Arnold died in 2012, a few months before her 100th birthday.
Eve Arnold (American 1912-2012), "Silvana Mangano, Museum of Modern Art, New York City, 1956", photogravure. Sold: £400
At Wilson55, our in-house expert Stephen Sparrow has years of experience in assessing and valuing twentieth century photography, so do get in touch if you’d like to learn more about a piece you own or discuss a potential sale or valuation.
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