Seymour, David. David Seymour - "Chim" 1911-1956 by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Judith Friedberg, et al.

Grossman, 1974, Volume 3, ICP Library of Photographers. With an encomium from his friend Henri Cartier-Bresson and essays by other friends and associates, including David Seymour (1911–1956) himself, William Richardson, and Elihu Winer. [Chim was a key member of the photographers cooperative Magnum in its early years. The photographers' cooperative Magnum was founded in 1947 by Chim, Robert Capa, Henri Cartier-Bresson, and George Rodger. Chim was born in Poland and died tragically at Suez, Egypt, during the Suez Canal war in the Middle East. A very cultured man, he photographed refugees, the Spanish Civil War, Italy, Greece, Hungary, Israel and many other places with intelligence and a keen eye. This is one of a series of six books in the ICP series, the others being on Capa, Werner Bischof, Lewis W. Hine, Dan Weiner, and Roman Vishniac.] Summary:

David Seymour - "Chim" 1911-1956 (published by Grossman Publishers in 1974) is a seminal monograph dedicated to the life and career of legendary Polish-born photojournalist David Seymour, affectionately known by his pseudonym "Chim." Released as part of the ICP Library of Photographers series by the International Center of Photography, this book features intimate text, recollections, and curation by his close friend and Magnum Photos co-founder Henri Cartier-Bresson, alongside journalist Judith Friedberg and Cornell Capa. It serves as both a memorial volume and a critical retrospective of a photographer who helped shape modern photojournalism before his tragic death while covering the Suez Crisis in 1956.

Key Elements of the Monograph

• The Birth of Magnum Photos: The book acts as an important historical document charting the golden age of photojournalism. It explores Chim’s foundational role as one of the four co-founders of the Magnum Photos cooperative in 1947 alongside Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Capa, and George Rodger, highlighting how their collective philosophy transformed documentary photography into an independent, respected profession.

• Europe in Conflict: The collection showcases Chim's extensive coverage of major 20th-century geopolitical upheavals. It features his vital, front-line reportage of the Spanish Civil War, political rallies in 1930s France, and the devastating physical and social ruins of post-WWII Europe.

• The Children of War: A central focus of the volume is Chim’s most famous and emotionally devastating project, Children of Europe. Commissioned by UNESCO in 1948, this series documents the profound psychological and physical trauma inflicted upon millions of orphans and displaced children by World War II, famously epitomized by his portrait of "Tereska," a young girl in a school for backward children drawing a chaotic scrawl of chalk lines to represent her concept of "home."

• An Empathetic and Intellectual Eye: Through essays by Cartier-Bresson and Friedberg, the book highlights Chim’s unique approach to the medium. Unlike the dramatic, kinetic war photography of his close friend Robert Capa, Chim’s work is characterized by a quiet, deeply intellectual humanism, immense empathy, and an extraordinary sensitivity to the individual human condition amidst global chaos.

Summary

David Seymour - "Chim" 1911-1956 is an essential tribute to a pioneer of compassionate photojournalism. Through masterfully selected images and deeply personal texts, the monograph encapsulates Chim’s enduring legacy as an intellectual with a camera who used his lens not to sensationalize violence, but to record the resilience, vulnerability, and shared humanity of those caught in its wake.

Copies available:

• Wraps, very good with crease in corner of rear cover, otherwise near fine. 
• Another copy, wraps, fresh, fine condition.