Berenice Abbott
(1898-1991), PhotographerArtist of 4 portraits
Born in Ohio, Abbot moved to New York City to study Journalism, but switched to sculpture and painting. In 1921 Abbott travelled to Paris and studied with the sculptor Emile Bourdelle. She attended Kunstschule in Berlin in 1923 before becoming an assistant to Man Ray in Paris. Abbott opened her own portrait studio in Paris in 1926 photographing Jean Cocteau, James Joyce and André Gide amongst others. She moved to New York in 1929 taking with her the collection of Eugene Atget's work which she had purchased after his death, making it known in the United States. From 1929-39 she embarked on her project of photographing New York, exhibiting at the Museum of the City of New York in 1937.
by Berenice Abbott
vintage bromide print, circa 1923
NPG P611
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