{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O225654"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O225654/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O225654","accessionNumber":"PH.690-1978","objectType":"Photograph","titles":[{"title":"Civil Court building, New York","type":"generic title"},{"title":"New York City. Manhattan. Near the Hall of Records. 1947.","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 one side of the stone steps that lead up to the Civil Court building in New York.  In the foreground to the left, three men dressed in suits converse, with one sneering at the camera and smoking.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Cartier-Bresson, Henri","id":"A3068"},"association":{"text":"photographer","id":"AAT25687"},"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":"L"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"photograph","id":"AAT46300"}],[{"text":"gelatin silver print","id":"AAT128695"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"New York","id":"x29030"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1947","earliest":"1947-01-01","latest":"1947-12-31"},"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 Henri Cartier-Bresson depicting the Civil Court building in New York with various groups of men standing on the steps outside.  USA, 1947.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[{"text":"New York","id":"x29030"}],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"steps","id":"AAT3312"},{"text":"civil","id":"AAT27866"},{"text":"men","id":"AAT25928"},{"text":"business","id":"AAT54343"},{"text":"government","id":"AAT8059"},{"text":"columns","id":"x31334"},{"text":"road","id":"AAT8217"},{"text":"traffic lights","id":"AAT3915"},{"text":"tower block","id":"x37453"}],"contentConcepts":[{"text":"urban","id":"AAT73795"},{"text":"government","id":"AAT163440"}],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["PH.690-1978"],"accessionNumberNum":"690","accessionNumberPrefix":"PH","accessionYear":1978,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-06-25","recordCreationDate":"2009-04-20","availableToBook":false}}