Elliott Erwitt is one of a kind. Not only one of the most important photographers of the 20th century and member of Magnum Photos since 1954, two features he shares with Henri Cartier-Bresson, but also because of his breadth of themes and humoristic approach to capturing moments of everyday life. He was very European, very American, full of surprises, versatile, open to any topic (including dogs in the street), a total artist, making a feast for the eyes and for the soul, from mundane scenes in the streets or elsewhere. He was called a “painter of intimacy”, mixing irony, humour and a deep humanity. A quote, worth meditating for future work, summarizes his unique and humble approach: “You first get a sort of frame and then wait for somebody to fill in”. Musée Maillol pays tribute to his genius in a large exhibit spanning over a career of more than 70 years “Elliott Erwitt – A Retrospective”. The large exhibition of more than 200 black and white and color photographs is a pure delight. too many wonderful scenes to report here. I just selected a few, characteristic of his genius.
