Tête á Tête (Tete a Tete) [Hardcover]

Henri Cartier-Bresson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Tete a Tete | Publication Date: September 1, 1998

A selection of Cartier-Bresson's most memorable portraits, published to accompany the 1998 National Portrait Gallery exhibition. The photographer himself supervised the design of the book and the juxtaposition of the images. Sir Ernst Gombrich provides an introduction to the collection.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Henri Cartier-Bresson's Tête à Tête contains the photographer's portraits of some of the most potent icons of the latter half of the 20th century. The book is understated, yet powerful and challenging--a masterpiece of the photographer's art of composition and expression. Presented in nonchronological order, yet arranged to provide links and parallels in posture and facial likenesses, familiar icons easily mix with anonymous subjects: a very young Truman Capote in crumpled T-shirt, on the brink of literary fame; a very old Colette, who retains her inquisitorial gaze; Matisse with his birds; Sartre with his pipe; Igor Stravinsky, astonishingly similar in 1946 and 1967; a beaming Che Guevara. There are also group portraits of unknowns, but none the less resonant for that: besuited men in 1950s Iran, tribespeople from Kashmir, prostitutes in Mexico, the women of southern Spain, dressed eternally in black. As the art historian E.H. Gombrich comments in his introduction to Tête à Tête, in these portraits Cartier-Bresson moved significantly away from the received techniques of the "society" photographer. Instead, he "always preferred to lie in wait for the telling moment." --Catherine Taylor, Amazon.co.uk

From Library Journal

Cartier-Bresson is well known as a master of portrait photography, a visual detective unraveling the mystery of people by revealing so much in his images. Whether his gift is the conscious convergence of people, environments, and light or an amazing coincidence of these elements when he is present, his work is familiar, even comforting. These portraits are how we think of Sartre, Picasso, Sontag, and others. Cartier-Bresson also captures anonymous people who present themselves to his camera with a relaxed honesty of self and spirit. The late art historian E.H. Gombrich's introductory text is respectful, analytical, and a valuable asset to those who will wander through this bound gallery of the photographer's best work. Perhaps the nicest surprise is the inclusion of Cartier-Bresson's pencil drawings, which show the artist's skills in another medium. Recommended.?David Bryant, New Canaan P.L., CT
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Bulfinch; First Edition edition (September 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0821225626
• ISBN-13: 978-0821225622
• Product Dimensions: 12.1 x 9.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,228,629 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Henri Cartier-Bresson (August 22, 1908 - August 3, 2004) is perhaps the greatest photographer of the twentieth century. In a career spanning over sixty years, he has used his camera as an impassive and neutral third eye to capture the vagaries of human behaviour and to produce some of the most memorable and compelling photographs ever published.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A true portraitist, September 18, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tête á Tête (Tete a Tete) (Hardcover)

C-B's portraits challenge his journalistic work with their grace and power. I almost find them to be more historically important than his other work for two reasons- 1) his style photojournalism is artful but perhaps less documentative than it could be. 2) The significant style with which he captures his often famous portaitees encapsulates their entire being- they are often the first image to come to mind when one thinks of the sitter, they are simply extremely telling and powerful pictures.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars HCB is the subtle master of moment and composition., December 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Tête á Tête (Tete a Tete) (Hardcover)

This is a very nice collection of portraits by HCB, showing the master's uncanny touch at framing and capturing the moment. This book is a cumulative experience - look at all the photos in the book - they look deceptively simple, but you'll end up wondering how he did it. The reproduction is very nice, but I found the sepia-like tone slightly annoying, but easy to ignore.

5.0 out of 5 stars Slow Burner, August 22, 2008

By 

NDT (Sydney Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tete a Tete (Paperback)

I purchased the hardcover version of this book about 8 years ago, when i was younger. I was quite impressed with the work of HCB, but now many years later whenever i open the book, i always find something i didnt really see before. Maturity helps to appreciate the masterful decisions that HCB made in those hours of subject selection and seconds of exposure. Every viewing I realise the profoundness of the people he photographs, and the delicate and honest way in which he portrays them.