Bougival, France, 1956

The Artist Jane McGuffin, c. 1960 Private Collection Christie’s, auction, New York, 15 April 2010, lot 348 Estate of Robert Noakes

This print was gifted to Jane McGuffin by the artist in appreciation for her assistance with his exhibition at the IBM Gallery, New York in 1960. A man in overalls with his back turned to the camera looks at two women and a baby in the doorway of a home while a dog in the bottom right corner looks at the man. Henri Cartier-Bresson, known for his sensitive and poetic style of documentary photography, often used the phrase "the decisive moment." He sought to capture the instant when order and meaning come together, creating a moment of magic. Cartier-Bresson's spontaneous yet methodical approach to photography has influenced generations of photographers.