{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O198534"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O198534/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O198534","accessionNumber":"PH.524-1978","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Lorraine. Coalminers. 1959","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"The Victoria and Albert Museum has over 440 photographs by Henri Cartier-Bresson (1908-2004), a French photographer who is considered to be one of the fathers of photojournalism and masters of candid photography. He sought to capture the 'everyday' in his photographs and took great interest in recording human activity. He wrote, \"For me the camera is a sketch book, an instrument of intuition and spontaneity, the master of the instant which, in visual terms, questions and decides simultaneously. In order to 'give a meaning' to the world, one has to feel involved in what one frames through the viewfinder. This attitude requires concentration, discipline of mind, sensitivity, and a sense of geometry. It is by economy of means that one arrives at simplicity of expression.\" \r\n\r\nAs a reporter and co-founder of the Magnum photography agency, Cartier-Bresson accepted his responsibility to supply information to a world in a hurry. He documented the liberation of Paris, the collapse of the Nationalist regime in China, Gandhi's funeral and the partitioning of Berlin. Cartier-Bresson helped develop the street photography style that has influenced generations of photographers that followed.","physicalDescription":"Black and white photograph of a large group of predominantly middle-aged workers walking away from a mineshaft, evidently having just finished their shift. Their replacements, all clean in contrast, sit on a wall, which juts dramatically into the viewer's space.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Cartier-Bresson, Henri","id":"A3068"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"x40240"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"AAT14190"}],"techniques":[{"text":"silver","id":"AAT139114"},{"text":"photography","id":"AAT54225"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Gelatin silver print","categories":[{"text":"Photographs","id":"THES48910"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"none","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"LVLF","id":"THES49656"},"free":"","case":"X","shelf":"918","box":"C"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}],[{"text":"gelatin silver print","id":"AAT128695"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Lorraine","id":"x28986"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1959","earliest":"1959-01-01","latest":"1959-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"39.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"29.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions taken from departmental notes","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Black and white photograph by Cartier-Bresson depicting coalminers in the region of Lorraine.  France, 1959.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"Lorraine","id":"x28986"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"mine","id":"AAT396"},{"text":"mines","id":"AAT390"},{"text":"work","id":"x42189"},{"text":"workers","id":"AAT25886"},{"text":"wall","id":"AAT2469"},{"text":"labour","id":"x35786"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"work","id":"x42189"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["PH.524-1978"],"accessionNumberNum":"524","accessionNumberPrefix":"PH","accessionYear":1978,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-06-25","recordCreationDate":"2009-03-09","availableToBook":false}}