Revisiting Herbert List

Prior to my trip to Greece, I found unexpected inspiration at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts in the form of a print by Herbert List. I made a post about it here, mentioning that I found myself pouring over a monograph I'd checked out from the library [at my college]. Recently, I've obtained my own copy of The Essential Herbert List: Photographs 1930-1972, and I'm reliving my past inspiration. His work makes me feel as though transported to another place and time, a mark of the best travel photography.

The introduction by Bruce Weber and the following two pieces of analysis by Ulrich Pohlmann and Günter Metken that I've read so far have my mind buzzing. I have always highly valued the history of photography knowledge that I've retained, and reading about some of the most influential masters brought up in relation to Herbert List's work, as well as mention of photo movements, feels like waking up: Henri Cartier-Bresson's decisive moments; Rene Magritte's pictorial mysteries; Breton, Cocteau, and Man Ray, the Paris Surrealists. Bruce Weber mentioned a Swiss cultural journal called Du that published List's work several times, and I'm working on finding a copy.

Through this reading I've also been introduced to a few new artists whose work I plan to investigate: Florence Henri (New Vision, mirrors), Otto Steinert (subjective photography), Edmund Kesting (Ruins: "Untitled (montage)" & "Dresden, 1945"), and George Hoyningen-Huene (fashion photography).

Man and Dog, Portofino, 1936

House and Statue of Kleopatra, Delos, 1937

Further investigations and findings on the work of Herbert List and Jaques Henri Lartigue, writings on photography, photo criticism, and personal travel journals to come.