Martin Munkasci 1896 – 1963

"In 1932 I saw a photograph by Marin Munkacsi of three black children running into the sea, and I must say that it is that very photograph which was for me the spark that set fire to the fireworks...and made me suddenly realize that photography could reach eternity through the moment." Henri Cartier-Bresson

1896

Born May 18, Kolozsvar, Hungary.

1912

Moves to Budapest.

1914

Reports and writes poetry for Az Est, Pesti Napló and SzÎnházi Élet newspapers.

1921

Begins his photography career in 1921 while covering sports for the Hungarian newspaper Az Est.

1921-22

Begins to take sports photographs for Az Est.

1927-28

Moves to Berlin. Accepts a three year contract with the Ullstein Verlag. Completes assignments in Sicily, Turkey, Palestine, Egypt, Algeria and Hungary.

1930-34

Freelances for The Studio and contributes to photographic yearbooks Das Deutsche Lichtbild, Photographie (France), and Modern Photography (England).

1933

Travels to the United States in 1933 on assignment for the Berliner Illustrierte Zeitung. First fashion photographs appear in the December "Palm Beach" issue of Harper's Bazaar.

1934

Emigrates to New York and accepts a contract with Harper's Bazaar.

1934-46

Works for Good Housekeeping, Ladies' Home Journal, Life, Pictorial Review and Town and Country. His work is included in 65 out of 78 monthly issues of Ladies' Home Journal for the feature "How America Lives".

1940

At the height of his career, earning more than $100,000 per year.

1943

Suffers a serous heart attack and devotes most of his time to writing.

1945

Fool's Apprentice, a semi-autobiographical novel is published.

1946

Works freelance for large corporations, including Ford and Reynolds.

1951

Nudes is published, with cover design by Alexey Brodovitch.

1954

Works on film scripts and sorty outlines. Cameraman and lighting designer for the animated puppet film of Hansel and Gretel. Writes and directs Bob's Declaration of Independence.

1963

Dies July 14.

Selected solo exhibitions

2011

Versicherungs Kammer Bayer, Munich

2008

The International Center of Photography, New York
Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

1992

Fnac Etoile Gallery, Paris
Picto-Bastille Gallery, Paris

1985

Photofind Gallery, Woodstock, New York

1979

Daniel Wolff, Inc., New York

1978

Retrospective. International Center of Photography, New York

Selected group exhibitions

1995

The Hungarian Circle: 1916-1940. Howard Greenberg Gallery, New York

1990

German Photography. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
Festival International de la Photo de Mode. Ethnography Museum, Budapest, Hungary

1989

The New Vision: Photography Between the Wars. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

1985

Shots of Style. Victoria and Albert Museum, London

1982

Lichtbildnisse: Das Portrat in der Fotografie. Rheinisches Landesmuseum, Bonn

1980

Avant-Garde Photography in Germany 1919-1939. Sa Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco

1979

Fleeting Gestures: Dance Photographs. International Center of Photography, New York
Life: The First Decade. Grey Art Gallery, New York University, New York

1977

The History of Fashion Photography. International Center of Photography

1975

Fashion Photography: Six Decades. Emily Lowe Gallery, Hofstra University, New York

1965

Glamour Portraits. Museum of Modern Art, New York
The Photo Essay. Museum of Modern Art, New York

1937

Photography 1839-1937. Museum of Modern Art, New York

Selected publications

Photographes Made in Hungary. Text by Károly Kincses. Milan: Actes Sud/Motta, 1998
Martin Munkacsi: An Aperture Monograph. Biographical profile by Susan Morgan. New York: Aperture, 1992
Style in Motion. New York: Clarkson N. Potter, Inc., 1979
Nudes. Introduction by John Rawlings. New York: Greenberg, 1951

Selected public collections

George Eastman House, Rochester, New York
International Center of Photography, New York
J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Museum Ludwig, Cologne
Museum of Modern Art, New York
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco