One of the great and most prolific photographers of the 20th and 21st century, Elliott Erwitt, is having a major retrospective in Paris. Erwitt was born in Paris in 1928 to Russian-Jewish immigrants, and in 1939, they fled Italy and moved to U.S. in 1939. He got his start in photography when he became an assistant photographer for the U.S. army while he served in France and Germany before being discharged in 1953. In that same period, Erwitt met the iconic photographers Edward Steichen, Robert Capa, and Roy Stryker, who greatly influenced his style. Mostly a freelance, editorial, and commercial photographer, Erwitt, worked for Life, Look, Holiday, and Colliers Magazine. He also photographed major celebrities and politicians including Marilyn Monroe, Charles de Gaulle, Ernesto “Che” Guevara, Jackie Kennedy, and Alfred Hitchcock.
The retrospective, with 215 color and black and white photographs, is divided into various themes and subjects. One of his favorite subjects was dogs, which he photographed as frequently as he could, and are the highlight of the exhibit. Erwitt brought humor to much of his work but most of all he brought humanity.
Until August 15, 2023
Musée Maillol
59-61 rue de Grenelle, 75007
https://museemaillol.com/en/expositions/elliot-erwitt-2/
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