Bruno Barbey

By Jonathan Fenby,

Book cover of Bruno Barbey: China 1973 - 2013: From Mao to Modernity

Book description

Magnum photographer Bruno Barbey first discovered China when he accompanied President Pompidou of France on an official visit there in 1973. It was a country in transition, although still under the influence of the Cultural Revolution. Most of the population still wore Mao suits and walls were covered in colourful…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Bruno Barbey as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

One of the storied Magnum agency’s less known yet supremely talented photographers, Barbey was a virtuoso of colour before many publications were geared up to print it. The Frenchman who died in 2019 had a long history of visiting China and his body of work is not as well known as that of Cartier-Bresson or Riboud but that may change as modern printing technology finally does justice to it. This book is probably the best available in English but a huge tome both larger and better produced has come out in China to a great reception.

From Adrian's list on colour photography books on China.

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